The country is already served with daily EVA Air flights from Heathrow via Bangkok and five non-stop services a week with China Airlines.
Since September, there has been a new option with Etihad via Abu Dhabi, while Emirates increased its Taipei services to double-daily in August.
However, Linda Lin, Taiwan Tourism Administration London office director, said: “For me, it’s not enough.”
Lin said 2026 would see greater marketing emphasis in the UK, including more branding on buses and taxis, as well as fam trips and partnerships with tour operators.
Taiwan recently hosted 20 influencers from the UK, each with more than one million followers. “We held two trade events this year," she said. "Next year, we are thinking of maybe five with airline partners."
'Quality over quantity'
The UK market is a small one for Taiwan, with most visitors coming from neighbouring Asian countries. “Before the pandemic, we had more than 10 million international arrivals, mostly from Asia," Lin explained. "We’re at nine million now, including 10,000 from the UK."
She stressed it was not about numbers. “Taiwan is focusing on quality over quantity. We measure success not only by visitor numbers but by supporting local communities and low carbon tourism.”
Lin added the island provided “nature, culture, hospitality and safety” and could hold its own as a single centre destination for a week or 10 days.
“More and more visitors want Taiwan on its own,” she said, adding it was an affordable destination. “A tube ride in Taipei is 50p.”
She recommended two to three days in Taipei and then using the high-speed rail link to Tainan to reach the Qing dynasty former capital.
Other attractions include the Kenting National Park on the southern tip of the island and Sun Moon Lake in the central region. However, Taroko Gorge, a key day trip from Taipei, remains closed due to a landslide.
New attractions include more scenic rail journeys to the mountain village of Alishan. Themed trips include one with a Michelin-starred chef and another featuring desserts.
