A letter of intent on expanding tourism cooperation was signed by Taiwan and diplomatic ally Paraguay Nov. 24 in Taipei City, underscoring their shared commitment to bolstering mutually beneficial business and people-to-people exchanges.
Under the letter inked by Chou Yung-hui, director-general of the Tourism Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, and Paraguay Minister of Tourism Sofia Montiel de Afara, the two sides will stage regular conferences for industry enterprises and officials; share information on culture and cuisine-based tours, policymaking and event marketing; and collaborate in fostering sustainable and inclusive sector growth.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Chou said that Paraguay is an excellent base for Taiwan operators looking into expanding their businesses to Brazil, Peru and other countries in the region.
Going forward, the government will work to raise local awareness of the South American ally as a vacation destination, as well as deepen tourism collaboration in areas spanning infrastructure development, scenic area promotion and talent cultivation, he added.
Montiel de Afara led a three-strong delegation on a fact-finding tour to Taiwan Nov. 23-26. During her trip, she met with Vice Foreign Minister Jose Maria Liu to discuss ways in which the two sides can cooperate in fostering tourism industry opportunities and expanding people-to-people exchanges.
The delegation also visited the Taipei International Travel Fair, as well as major cultural attractions including National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, National Palace Museum and Taipei 101 as well as Pinglin Tea Museum in New Taipei City, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (KWS-E)
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