Passenger volume at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport increased 3.69 percent to a record high of 46.53 million in 2018, according to Taoyuan International Airport Corp. Jan. 6.
Facility operator TIAC attributed this strong showing to the success of the government’s New Southbound Policy in boosting visitors to Taiwan as well as the rising popularity of budget airlines.
TIAC statistics showed that the number of travelers from NSP target countries arriving, departing and transiting at TTIA increased 9.84 percent year on year to 11.32 million, while volume on budget carriers rose 12.05 percent to 8.49 million.
A key plank in the government’s national development strategy, the NSP is enhancing Taiwan’s agricultural, business, cultural, education, tourism and trade ties with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand.
According to TIAC, the 2018 total sees TTIA retain its status as one of the 50 busiest airports in the world. A number of large-scale projects are also underway to manage increasing traffic, the company said.
These include construction on the 45 million passenger Terminal 3, as well as the ongoing expansion of Terminal 2. The latter development, set for completion in April, will boost capacity from 17 million to 22 million.
These projects are also expected to help maintain the airport’s reputation for top-class service. In 2017, TTIA placed third globally among facilities handling over 40 million passengers per year in the Airport Service Quality Awards by Montreal-headquartered Airports Council International, and it won first place for immigration service in the 2018 World Airport Awards organized by U.K.-based air travel research group Skytrax. (CPY-E)
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