“Alishan, Sun Moon Lake and the north coast are among the top destinations for foreign couples to capture their memories,” a bureau official said. “Around a dozen couples show up for photo shoots in these locations daily.”
The bureau has set up makeup booths and related amenities offering free services in various scenic spots Taiwanwide. It is estimated that the facility at Xiangshan Visitor Center in Sun Moon Lake has welcomed
150 couples per month since its opening last August.
Other initiatives include the annual Alishan wedding, photography and honeymoon package. Set to get underway Sept. 30, the tour saw 16 couples from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and mainland China exchange vows under resplendent green canopies of leafy trees in Alishan last year.
Similar packages will be promoted in other popular destinations as well, including Pingtung County’s Dapeng Bay and Liuqiu Township, the bureau added.
Chou Tai-feng, director of Taipei Wedding Photography Business Association, said most of the couples taking wedding photography trips to Taiwan are from Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia and Singapore.
“Unlike traditional honeymooners, they usually stay in Taiwan for up to 10 days, getting their photos done while sightseeing. They spend an average NT$200,000 (US$6,658) on such a tour.”
With the bureau ramping up promotional efforts for this increasingly lucrative segment of the tourism market, officials are eyeing an annual target of 10,000 couples generating NT$2.5 billion in revenue. (YHC-JSM)
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