Chicago – September 25, 2026 -- The Taiwan Tourism Administration (TTA) brought its U.S. workshop series back to Chicago on Sept. 16, 2026, ending a seven-year absence from the Midwest market and drawing 53 local travel industry representatives.
Taiwan logged a record 710,000 U.S. visitors in 2025
Nearly 60% of those arrivals were tourism-driven, the TTA reported, a record high for the destination. The agency credited strong air connectivity, with more than 200 weekly round-trip flights linking Taiwan to 13 major North American cities.
Repeat visitors matched pre-pandemic peak at 42.25% of arrivals
Through its "Tourism Dual-Wheel Drive Program," the TTA is courting repeat visitors, MICE travelers extending stays for leisure, and incentive travel groups. The 42.25% repeat-visitor share in 2025 equaled the pre-pandemic high recorded in 2019.
Chicago event drew diplomatic representatives from six countries
Guests from Belize, Lithuania, Poland, Thailand, Guatemala and Colombia attended alongside the trade delegation. The Chicago stop is the second of three U.S. workshops running Sept. 14-18, 2026, in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, connecting Taiwanese travel agencies, hotels and airlines with North American travel professionals.
Dennis Yen-Feng Lei, Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago, promoted Taiwan's food culture, from stinky tofu to xiaolongbao, and pitched the destination as safe for round-the-clock city life. TTA Marketing Manager Claire Hsu introduced the "Taiwan Never Sleep" campaign concept centered on safety and convenience for travelers arriving at any hour.
Cultural programming anchored the trade event
The Chicago workshop featured Taiwan Tourism Ambassador Chen Ming-Chu, a cross-genre Taiwanese opera performance by Tsai Yu-Lun, and an Alishan tea experience presented by Cha San Dai.