Kaohsiung Tourism Soars: Mayor Chen Chi-mai's Administration Reports Top Rankings in Key Metrics Among Six Major Cities

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai is celebrating six years in office, marked by not only industrial transformation but also a remarkable surge in tourism. The city's Tourism Bureau has released data showing Kaohsiung outperforming the other five major municipalities in four critical growth indicators: revenue from the accommodation sector, income from catering services, the number of international visitors, and the total spending by these international tourists.

This impressive performance is further validated by consistent high satisfaction ratings. Kaohsiung's tourism satisfaction has been ranked number one nationwide for three consecutive years by a prominent magazine. Looking ahead, the city has earned global recognition, being selected by the British newspaper The Times as one of the "20 most visit-worthy destinations" for November 2026, ranking 10th globally and being the only Taiwanese city on the list.

The Tourism Bureau attributes much of this success to the "concert series economy" and the strategic hosting of large-scale events. Since actively promoting the concert economy post-pandemic in 2023, Kaohsiung has generated an estimated NT$18.9 billion (approximately $580 million USD) in tourism value. The city government has focused on enhancing its capacity to host major events, integrating them with surrounding tourist information, night markets, accommodation, and transportation services. Initiatives like "night market vouchers," "dining and entertainment extensions," and "pre-event festivals" have been implemented to convert event attendees into city tourists and consumers.

Kaohsiung has also successfully blended major events and international intellectual property with its harbor landscape, creating unique festival brands. Building on the experience gained from the "2022 Taiwan Lantern Festival in Kaohsiung," the local traditional lantern festival has been transformed into the "Kaohsiung Wonderland" city IP and event brand. Over the past three years, these initiatives have generated NT$36.6 billion (approximately $1.1 billion USD) in economic benefits. The city's tourism transformation is shifting from merely increasing visitor numbers to building a strong brand and enhancing its international marketing, thereby expanding its global market influence.