Pingtung, Taiwan — Taiwan’s southern Pingtung County is seeing a major tourism rebound as travelers flock to popular destinations including Xiaoliuqiu and Kenting during the four-day Mid-Autumn Festival and Teachers’ Day holiday.
Accommodation bookings in both destinations exceeded 90% during the first two days of the holiday, according to Taiwan News, as favorable weather encouraged travelers to head south after a rain-disrupted summer.
The surge was visible at popular attractions such as Flower Vase Rock on Xiaoliuqiu and Nanwan in Kenting, where large crowds gathered during the holiday period.
Better Weather Brings Travelers Back
Tourism operators said the holiday rush has provided a welcome boost after persistent rain and typhoons disrupted travel during the summer.
Li Jiaqi, chair of the Liuqiu Township Tourism Development Association, said summer is normally Xiaoliuqiu’s peak tourism period. However, unfavorable weather affected visitor numbers, making the holiday surge particularly important for local businesses.
The rebound could extend beyond the holiday. One Xiaoliuqiu guesthouse operator said October Saturdays were already nearly fully booked, suggesting that some travelers who postponed summer trips could be rescheduling their visits in the coming weeks.
Taiwan’s official Pingtung tourism information also highlights Xiaoliuqiu as a major ecological and marine destination, with transportation connections linking the island with Donggang and the wider Dapeng Bay area.
Kenting Businesses See a Much-Needed Boost
Kenting also experienced a strong increase in visitors.
The Kenting Main Street Management Committee said the area has roughly 250 vendors, many of which faced a difficult summer because of repeated rainfall.
Improved weather helped bring visitors back to the beaches, restaurants and businesses around Hengchun and Kenting. Traffic was also heavy around Nanwan, with long lines of vehicles reported near the recreation area’s parking facilities.
Local officials and businesses have also been working to improve the visitor experience. Kenting Main Street underwent a redesign covering approximately 1.41 kilometers, including expanded pedestrian space and reorganized road use. The project cost about NT$50 million (US$1.6 million) and included 12 designated short-term parking areas.
New Transport Hub Could Change Kenting Travel
Another major development is underway near Kenting Main Street.
Construction of the Kenting Bus Transfer Station began on September 15. The NT$117 million project is scheduled for completion in July 2027.
The planned facility will include:
- 8 bus bays
- 60 automobile parking spaces
- 25 motorcycle spaces
- A 36-space YouBike station
- 3 taxi areas
The project is designed to improve connections between bus routes serving the Hengchun Peninsula and make Kenting easier to access by public transportation.
The existing Hengchun transfer station is more than 9 kilometers away, making the new facility potentially significant for visitors traveling around the peninsula.
Pingtung Tourism Looks Toward the Next Holiday Wave
The latest holiday surge shows how strongly weather conditions can influence tourism in southern Taiwan. After a difficult summer, Xiaoliuqiu and Kenting are entering a period when postponed trips, upcoming holidays and improved transportation infrastructure could continue to shape visitor demand.
For tourism operators, however, the immediate priority is keeping the momentum going beyond the four-day holiday.
With October weekends already seeing strong bookings in parts of Xiaoliuqiu and new transportation infrastructure taking shape in Kenting, Pingtung’s tourism rebound may be entering a new phase just as the holiday crowds begin to leave.
WWC ONE MEDIA G,A
