Taiwan moves on Aussies

Hospitality specialist Ganessan Suppiah has been appointed as the new Australian representative of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau.

Suppiah has extensive hotel industry experience and is well known to the trade through a 13-year stint with WorldHotels ending as Asia Pacific Regional VP, as well as former roles with Marriott, Stamford and Hyatt.

Speaking with Travel Daily this morning about how his GSA Hospitality business will look to market Taiwan in Australia, Suppiah said the aim will be to launch a four-pronged strategy to improve visitation and spend.

Among the planned initiatives will be to collaborate more with travel agencies, meeting planners and airlines to offer attractive and competitive deals that can encourage more Australians to visit Taiwan.

These will include tailored packages catering to the interests of demographics such as adventure-seekers, foodies and cultural enthusiasts.

Suppiah also noted that Taiwan will seek to improve its presence at local travel expos and events to improve its reputation as a tourism destination, with virtual reality tours and interactive cultural activities flagged as just a few of the ways Taiwan will demonstrate its tourism appeal.

Social media and digital marketing will also be ramped up, with influencers to be enlisted to create engaging content on platforms like Instagram or Facebook to help showcase Taiwan’s tourism offerings and “generate buzz”.

Finally, themes to be trumpeted to travellers will include cultural and natural attractions, specifically culinary appeal and Taiwan’s arts and music scene.