The 2010 Hohaiyan Rock Festival in northern Taiwan's Gongliao Township brought over 570,000 visitors to the seaside town in three days, the Taipei County Government said July 11.
The 11th consecutive festival, kicking off July 9 at Fulong Beach, created business value of over NT$700 million (US$21.77 million), the county's Tourism and Travel Bureau estimated.
The "vigorous seahorse spirit" was chosen as the symbol of the festival, said Lee Tsung-kwei, bureau director, who noted that this creature symbolizes the vivacity of Taiwan’s young generation, and the infinite potential of the ocean.
On July 9, winners of the Ocean Indie Music Awards over the past 10 years, including Taiwanese rock musicians Sodagreen, Tizzy Bac, Crowd Lu, MC Hotdog and Chang Chen-yue, all gathered to perform live on the beach stage.
Ten Taiwanese independent rock bands selected from over 200 bands performed July 10, and the winner of this year’s Ocean Indie Music Awards was announced by Magistrate Chou Hsi-wei shortly after.
Seven international bands, including mainland China’s Thin Men, Thailand’s August Band and Melee from the U.S., brought their sounds to the Taiwanese audience July 11.
To boost local tourism, the county introduced a free shuttle bus service to scenic spots along the northeast coast, such as Longdong, a paradise for scuba divers, and Jioufen, a mountain town known for its rich culture and history, the Tourism and Travel Bureau said. (THN)