International tourism to Taiwan is continuing its steady recovery from the COVID-19 collapse, with visitor numbers rising year after year, although still short of pre-pandemic highs. Official data shows that after plunging to fewer than 900,000 arrivals in 2022, the island welcomed 6.49 million visitors in 2023, rising to 7.86 million in 2024 and reaching 8.57 million in 2025. This represents a recovery to roughly 72% of 2019 levels, when Taiwan recorded a peak of 11.86 million international visitors.
Momentum has continued into 2026. Authorities expect between 9.3 and 9.4 million international arrivals this year, supported by growth from Europe, North America and Southeast Asia, alongside Taiwan’s traditional core markets of Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong.
This recovery is taking place alongside a structural shift in the tourism market. Taiwan, officially the Republic of China, is no longer relying heavily on a single source country, particularly as arrivals from the People’s Republic of China, once numbering in the millions, have declined sharply in recent years. Instead, the island is increasingly positioning itself as a diversified destination, attracting longer-stay and higher-spending travellers.
Belgian visitors: small but resilient segment
Within this broader recovery, Belgium represents a niche but fully rebounded source market. According to official statistics, Taiwan received 8,980 Belgian visitors in 2019, a figure that collapsed during the pandemic before gradually recovering to 6,762 in 2023, 7,976 in 2024, and 9,754 in 2025.
This means that Belgian arrivals have now surpassed pre-pandemic levels, a notable achievement compared with many other long-haul markets that are still catching up. Early 2026 data, with over 1,400 Belgian visitors recorded in a single month, suggests continued stability.
Although modest in scale, Belgian visitors are part of a wider European segment that is becoming increasingly important to Taiwan’s tourism diversification strategy. European travellers also tend to stay longer and spend more, reinforcing their value to the sector.
A diverse tourism offer: culture, nature and food
Taiwan’s appeal lies in its mix of cultural heritage, urban attractions and natural landscapes. In the capital Taipei, major draws include the National Palace Museum, which houses one of the world’s largest collections of Chinese artefacts, and the iconic Taipei 101. Night markets such as Shilin remain central to the visitor experience, reflecting Taiwan’s globally recognised street food culture.
Beyond the capital, nature-based tourism plays a key role. Taroko National Park is renowned for its dramatic marble gorge landscapes, while Sun Moon Lake offers scenic views and indigenous cultural experiences. Mountain regions such as Alishan National Scenic Area attract visitors for hiking, forests and seasonal cherry blossoms.
This combination of culture, scenery and cuisine has helped Taiwan evolve “from a transit stop into a tourist destination”, with visitors increasingly travelling across multiple regions and spending more on experiences.
Hotel prices and value concerns raised by travellers
Despite the recovery in visitor numbers, online discussions suggest that accommodation remains a weak point in Taiwan’s tourism offering. On Reddit, travellers frequently highlight a perceived mismatch between price and quality, particularly in the mid-range segment.
One user noted that hotel prices are “absolutely insane” for what is offered, pointing out that a stay costing over 10,000 New Taiwan dollars (€270) may still feel mediocre compared with alternatives abroad. Another commenter argued that “for the price of [a] mediocre hotel… you can literally fly to Korea, Japan, Vietnam, or Thailand” and receive better value.
Gap in the offer
Other users echoed similar concerns, describing rooms as outdated or overpriced, with weekend and holiday pricing spikes frequently cited as a deterrent. Some also pointed to a structural gap in the market: high-end luxury hotels perform well, and budget options exist, but the mid-range segment – crucial for mass tourism – appears underdeveloped.
At the same time, a minority of users suggested that fewer tourists may help avoid overtourism and pressure on infrastructure, indicating a more nuanced debate about growth versus sustainability.
Overall, these discussions underline a recurring theme: while Taiwan offers strong attractions, its competitiveness may be weakened by perceived shortcomings in accommodation quality and pricing.
Geopolitical risks: Iran crisis and Strait of Hormuz
Beyond domestic factors, Taiwan’s tourism outlook is also influenced by global geopolitical developments, particularly tensions involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz.
The strait is a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies, with around one-fifth of the world’s oil passing through it. Disruptions linked to conflict in the region have already led to concerns about rising fuel costs and potential airline route disruptions, both of which can directly affect international travel demand.
The wider impact on tourism can be significant. Industry estimates suggest that conflict-related disruptions in the Middle East can cost the global travel sector hundreds of millions of dollars per day, largely due to flight cancellations, rerouting and reduced consumer confidence.
Taiwan is particularly exposed to such risks due to its reliance on imported energy, much of which transits through the Strait of Hormuz. Any sustained disruption could increase transport costs, affect airline capacity and ultimately raise the price of travel to the island.
More broadly, geopolitical instability tends to influence traveller behaviour, often shifting demand toward destinations perceived as more accessible or cost-effective. Even indirect effects – such as higher oil prices – can reduce long-haul travel, potentially impacting markets like Europe, including Belgium.
Outlook: recovery continues amid structural challenges
Taiwan’s tourism sector is clearly on a recovery trajectory, with visitor numbers rising, markets diversifying and long-haul segments such as Belgium showing resilience.
However, the path back to – and beyond – pre-pandemic levels is not guaranteed. The sector faces a combination of structural challenges, including accommodation pricing and regional competition, alongside external risks such as geopolitical instability and energy price volatility.
If Taiwan can address issues around value for money while continuing to diversify its visitor base, it may not only complete its recovery but strengthen its position as a distinctive destination in the Asian tourism landscape.
Let’s go in 2026?
Taiwan is on my personal radar for later this year, but I don’t dare to book. Firstly because my employer must approve (or not) my vacation request. I will know more in a few months.
Secondly I’m keeping an eye on world events. Will there be affordable flights. Will activities in Taiwan be compromised?
I visited Taiwan for the first time in 2017. It was there Danny suggested we’d start a travel blog, which became Trip By Trip. Actually, we decided on the name and the platform, WordPress, there.
But I didn’t really blog about Taiwan then.
Taiwan 2017
- REVIEW | Taipei – Istanbul – Cologne with Turkish Airlines.
- TAIWAN | 11 Practical Tips When Going To Taipei.
- Gay Taipei with misterb&b.
- VIDEO | Alishan Forest Railway in Taiwan.
- SINGLES DAY | Why everyone should travel alone sometimes.
Some tourism statistics
- CURAÇAO | Tourism records for 2025, with 11,500 travellers from Belgium.
- International tourism to the United States continues to slide in 2026.
- Morocco records historic tourism year with 19.8 million visitors in 2025.
- Flanders continues to grow as a tourist destination with over 15 million visitors in 2025.
- Greece sets new tourism records in 2025 with nearly 38 million visitors.
- Thailand happy with Belgian visitor numbers and welcomes Tomorrowland festival.
- Belgian travel stats to the United States continued to decline throughout 2025.
- Is Greece too popular? 2024 tourism statistics raise overtourism concerns.
- TRAIN TRAVEL | European Union records 429 billion passenger-kilometres in 2023 but domestic travel still dominates.
- 5 million passengers flew from and to Brussels Airport in summer 2025.
- BELGIUM | Flemish museums attracted more than 4.8 million visitors in 2023.
- Belgium sees modest tourism growth in 2024, led by Flanders and Brussels.
- Travel in 2024: Spain, France, USA, China, Mexico lose ground and Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, UAE to grow market share.
- France, Spain, USA, China and Italy most visited countries in the world, Belgium 41st.
- France welcomed 100 million international visitors in 2024.
- Turkey welcomed 62 million international tourists who together spent $61 billion in 2024.
- SPAIN | 94 million international visitors and €108.7 billion tourism income in 2024.
- UN WORLD TOURISM BAROMETER | International tourism recovers pre-pandemic levels in 2024.
- Outside the EU, Europeans mostly travel to Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
- Intra-European travel mostly for fun and / or family.
- Europeans visit other European countries over 7 nights on average.
