A GROWING number of Taiwanese businessmen are visiting the Philippines in search of investment opportunities following the United States’ recent move to impose so-called “reciprocal tariffs.”
The renewed interest, according to Wallace Minn-gan Chow, Taiwanese representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in the Philippines, comes as Taiwan and the Philippines continue to strengthen economic and tourism ties, supported by the newly extended 14-day visa-free entry for Taiwanese passport holders, effective July 1, 2025.
Chow highlighted these developments during the Taiwan Tourism Workshop on Wednesday, July 16, attended by tourism stakeholders from Taiwan and Cebu at Radisson Blu Cebu.
“In fact, we’ve already seen many Taiwanese businessmen visiting the Philippines since the tariff announcement. They are coming to search for investment opportunities,” said Chow.
The visa-free measure, he added, also coincides with rising demand from Taiwanese students exploring educational and leisure programs in the Philippines, particularly in Cebu, where English language schools and diving courses have grown in popularity.
Chow described the visa waiver as a “major breakthrough” that will not only boost tourism but also stimulate long-term trade and business engagement between the two countries.
“It will further strengthen people-to-people ties, enhance cultural and educational exchanges, and even stimulate trade and investment as business travel and participation in expos and conferences become more convenient,” he said.
Inbound, outbound figures
According to Taiwan’s tourism data, around 220,000 Taiwanese visited the Philippines in 2024, underscoring the potential for rapid growth in Philippine-bound Taiwanese travel and investment.
Taiwan currently enjoys over 250 weekly flights connecting various cities in the Philippines, making it one of the most accessible markets in the region.
Arrivals from Taiwan from January to April 2025 stood at 69,593, down by 10.94 percent from 78,142 arrivals in the same period last year.
Tourism officials also cited the Philippines as Taiwan’s largest source of tourists in Southeast Asia, with more than 470,000 Filipino visitors recorded last year.
Taiwan ranked fourth among the top destinations visited by Filipinos from January to April this year, with 184,690 Filipino travelers recorded, a 7.71 percent increase from the same period last year.
Department of Tourism in Central Visayas Director Judy Gabato expressed gratitude that Cebu was chosen as one of the venues for the workshop.
“This workshop not only showcases the collaborative spirit between our two countries but also highlights the shared commitment to fostering mutual growth in tourism, trade and cultural exchange,” she said.
Gabato noted that Taiwan remains a key tourism partner for the Philippines, citing growing visitor arrivals and increased interest in exploring destinations in Central Visayas, particularly Cebu. itself for long-term growth. / KOC
