With Double Ten National Day fast approaching, large numbers of Overseas Taiwanese are planning trips to return home, and despite competitive travel packages offered by China, 2024 may likely set the record for the highest overseas attendance in 8 years.
The Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) held a press conference in the Legislature discussing the matter, during which the council pointed out that China’s offerings of cheap tour packages were likely meant to sway Taiwanese away from attending National Day activities. However, OCAC Minister Hsu Chia-Ching (徐佳青) said that these discounted packages have had little effect on the number of returning expats, further that they are not attractive to Taiwanese tourists because they lack the warm feeling of home.
The number of Taiwanese expats visiting has been on the rise since 2023. With the high-profile events like the presidential election and 10-10 day, the number of visitors in 2024 has exceeded all expectations. It’s estimated that there will be 5,000 Overseas Taiwanese for National Day, the largest number in over 8 years.
To accommodate such large numbers, the OCAC has organised over 162 sightseeing tours, a lottery, and strongly promoted its “i Compariot Card”, which offers special discounts through the OCAC to cardholders. Overseas Taiwanese returning for the holiday can apply for several travel subsidies and even a chance to attend the National Day Gala for which the OCAC acquired 2,000 tickets.
Hsu went on to detail that Taiwanese are returning from 45 countries around the world, from across 6 continents. One special guest, a 100-year old woman , will also be making the journey home for the holiday. Hsu thanked all the overseas visitors for their spirit and the outpouring of love for their home country.