Taiwan goes ‘halal’ to woo Muslim tourists
taipei — From halal fried chicken to hot springs hotels with prayer facilities, Taiwan is adapting its traditional tourist draws to woo Muslim visitors as Chinese arrivals dwindle.
Mainland tourist numbers have slid dramatically as China relations deteriorate, with speculation authorities there are turning off the taps to pressure Taiwan’s Beijingsceptic government.
Taiwan is now looking to boost relations with 16 south and southeast Asian countries, as well as Australia and New Zealand — what it calls its “southbound policy” — and is seeking more visitors from the region.
That has meant a growing number of tourists from Muslim-majority countries, such as Malaysia and Indonesia. Taiwan welcomed 30 per cent more visitors from southeast Asia in 2017.
Taoism is the prevalent religion in Taiwan, with Muslims making up less than two per cent of the population, but tourists who spoke to AFP said they were surprised how welcome they felt.
“I really like the natural scenery in Taiwan and the people are very nice,” said Ashma Bunlapho, 40, a Muslim tourist from Thailand on a five-day trip with her husband.
She found halal restaurants using Google Maps, including a shop selling beef noodle — a Taiwanese favourite — and felt free to pray where she chose, taking her mat with her to famous nature spots including Sun Moon Lake in central Taiwan. Malaysian tourist Dean Idris said halal eats were easily accessible as he visited Taipei with his two young children, taking in the zoo, a night market, and a historic district close to the city’s bestknown temple.
“I learned that Taiwan, Taipei especially, is actually Muslimfriendly,” he told outside a mosque in the capital, where he had gone to pray.
Thailand, South Korea and Japan are among Asian nations that have been tapping into the Muslim travel market, which has been fuelled by growth in cheap flights and a booming middle class in countries such as Indonesia. —