PHOENIX, Feb. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Taiwan Tourism Administration (TTA), through its Los Angeles Office, successfully wrapped up a high-impact presence at the Phoenix Travel & Adventure Show 2026, held February 14-15 at the Phoenix Convention Center, capturing strong interest from thousands of Arizona travelers eager to discover Taiwan as their next long-haul destination.

Taiwan Tourism Administration operated one of the largest booths at the show, strategically located near the entrance of the exhibition hall, ensuring high visibility and consistent foot traffic throughout the two-day event.

A Booth That Stopped Traffic

Designed to be both playful and instantly recognizable, the Taiwan booth featured a giant bubble tea cup installation, with Taiwan Tourism's beloved ambassador OhBear appearing to sip from it. The oversized centerpiece quickly became a favorite photo spot, drawing attendees in for selfies while sparking conversations about Taiwan's vibrant food culture and travel experiences. An onsite photo booth added to the selfie experience, with free photo printouts for visitors wanting to save the memory.

Visitors were invited to take part in a range of hands-on cultural activities, including:

• Taiwanese Pinball, a classic night market game
• Paper Taiwanese Douli Hat DIY, offering a creative introduction to traditional headwear

With Lunar New Year approaching, Taiwan Tourism also distributed lucky red envelopes, a cherished custom in Taiwan symbolizing good fortune. Each envelope featured a QR code that generated a unique digital blessing and randomly assigned a gift to the recipient, blending tradition with interactive technology and adding an element of surprise to the booth experience.

The event was highly valued by the local overseas Taiwanese community, with support provided by Tony Kao of the Overseas Community Affairs Council, and Ruey Yu of the Taiwanese American Association of Arizona. Volunteers from the local Taiwanese-American community also participated, with volunteers dressed in Indigenous Taiwanese attire (including Rukai and Paiwan traditional clothing), introducing visitors to Taiwan's diverse cultural heritage.

The booth also featured travel product promotions such as free half-day tours for international arrivals (halfdaytour.taiwan.net.tw), Taiwan Pass travel offers (twpass.tw), and transit visitor incentives including NT$600 (~US$19) of airport shopping vouchers (bit.ly/TransitInTaiwan). Attending Taiwanese airlines, including China Airlines, EVA Air, and STARLUX Airlines shared their latest offerings and discounted flights, while materials from partners such as Lion Travel USA promoted their itinerary packages and Taroko Sports in Phoenix, highlighting Taiwan's strong baseball culture.

Strong Airline Presence Highlights Growing Connectivity from Phoenix

Reflecting Taiwan's increasing accessibility from the U.S. Southwest, all three of Taiwan's international airlines—China Airlines, EVA Air, and STARLUX Airlines—were represented at the booth. Notably, China Airlines and STARLUX Airlines have each launched direct flights from Phoenix to Taipei in recent months, significantly strengthening Taiwan's position as a hub for Arizonans' travel around Asia.

All three airlines sponsored roundtrip Economy Class tickets to Taiwan, which were awarded to lucky attendees through an on-site lucky draw, generating excitement and reinforcing Taiwan's appeal as an easy-to-reach Asian destination.

Strengthening Trade Partnerships

On the first day of the show, TTA also hosted the exhibition's FAM-TAS travel trade luncheon briefing for dozens of local industry partners, featuring representatives from Taiwan Tourism, and all 3 Taiwanese airlines. The session introduced Taiwan's key selling points to American travelers, highlighting its position as an underrated destination for outdoor, cultural and culinary adventures. The airline representatives emphasized their direct routes to Taiwan from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) and other North American gateways, as well as Taiwan's growing role as a hub for North Americans looking to explore the rest of Asia.

Building Momentum in the U.S. Southwest

"Phoenix is an exciting and fast-growing market for Taiwan," said Vivian Lin, Director of the Taiwan Tourism Administration's Los Angeles Office. "With new nonstop flights connecting Phoenix directly to Taipei, Taiwan has never been more accessible to Arizona travelers. At this year's Travel & Adventure Show, we wanted to create an experience that felt joyful, welcoming, and unmistakably Taiwanese—from bubble tea and Lunar New Year traditions to hands-on crafts and airline partnerships. The response from attendees confirmed that curiosity about Taiwan is strong, and we're thrilled to continue building on this momentum."

Next Stops: Los Angeles and Dallas

Following the success in Phoenix, Taiwan Tourism Administration will continue its U.S. outreach at upcoming Travel & Adventure Shows:

• Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show – March 7–8, 2026
• Dallas Travel & Adventure Show – March 28–29, 2026

Travelers attending these shows can expect similarly immersive experiences, cultural activities, and chances to win flights to Taiwan, as TTA continues to showcase the island's rich culture, modern cities, natural beauty, and warm hospitality under its global brand, "Taiwan – Waves of Wonder."

Download photos and related files from this press release here: bit.ly/TTAatTASPhoenix2026

ABOUT TAIWAN TOURISM ADMINISTRATION
The Taiwan Tourism Administration is the official government agency of Taiwan (R.O.C.) responsible for domestic and international tourism policy development and execution. The Southwestern US market is managed by the Los Angeles office of TTA. The marketing slogan currently in use for Taiwan is "Waves of Wonder." The official ambassador of the TTA is OhBear, a cartoon Formosan Black Bear, the national animal of Taiwan.

For more information about Taiwan tourism, please visit the official website of the Taiwan Tourism Administration: eng.taiwan.net.tw

Follow us on social media in North America:

Instagram: @taiwantourism.na
Facebook: Tour Taiwan - America

Contact: Alex Trup
alex@purple.media
+1 (929) 474-6565

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SOURCE Taiwan Tourism Administration