From port city to international destination: Kaohsiung gains ground as Southeast Asian travelers look beyond Taipei

Taiwan is seeing a sharp rise in travel interest from the Philippines, with more Filipino visitors arriving and growing numbers searching for destinations beyond Taipei.

According to Taiwan’s Tourism Administration, more than 210,000 Filipino travelers visited Taiwan in the first quarter of 2026, up 43% from the same period last year. The Philippines ranked first among Taiwan’s Southeast Asian source markets during the period.

The momentum is also reflected in Agoda’s latest accommodation-search data. The Philippines was Taiwan’s fastest-growing Southeast Asian source market, with travel searches for Taiwan up 46% year on year. Kaohsiung, meanwhile, recorded the fastest growth among Taiwanese destinations searched by Southeast Asian travelers, with searches rising 65%.

Among Filipino travelers specifically, interest in Kaohsiung more than tripled from a year earlier, making the southern port city one of the fastest-growing destinations for this market, according to Agoda.

The figures suggest that Taiwan’s appeal among Filipino travelers is expanding beyond the capital, while Kaohsiung is gaining visibility as a destination in its own right.

Why is Kaohsiung gaining attention?

Several factors may help explain the city’s growing appeal.

The first is ease of travel. Taiwan extended its trial visa-free program for Philippine passport holders for another year, through July 31, 2027, allowing stays of up to 14 days. The policy is part of Taiwan’s broader efforts to attract travelers from New Southbound Policy countries.

Air connectivity also makes southern Taiwan increasingly accessible. Kaohsiung International Airport currently operates direct flights to Manila, including services by China Airlines and Cebu Pacific.

But accessibility alone may not explain why Kaohsiung is attracting more attention. In recent years, the city has increasingly used large-scale cultural, entertainment and international events to reshape its image from an industrial port city into a more diverse urban destination.

From port city to event destination

In recent years, Kaohsiung has built a busy calendar of events that combine music, pop culture and art.

One example is Kaohsiung Wonderland, a large-scale winter event that has featured international pop culture into its programming. The 2026 edition featured the Japanese superhero character Ultraman and attracted more than 7.31 million visits over 23 days, generating over NT$12.6 billion in tourism revenue.

Another example is the Rubber Duck, which has repeatedly drawn large crowds to Kaohsiung’s waterfront. The giant yellow sculpture first appeared in the city in 2013 and returned in 2024, when it was displayed at Love River Bay as part of the city’s New Year celebrations.

Its appearances have turned a familiar waterfront into a highly shareable public spectacle, attracting visitors from across Taiwan and generating widespread attention on social media.

While such events do not by themselves establish a direct causal link to the recent increase in Filipino visitors, they illustrate how Kaohsiung has increasingly used recognizable public attractions and large-scale events to build visibility beyond Taiwan.

Music and the concert economy

Music has also become an important part of the city's tourism identity. The 2026 Kaohsiung Beer Rock Festival featured Korean artists including RAIN, BTOB, RIIZE and YESUNG, alongside Taiwanese performers. According to the Kaohsiung City Government, the three-day event drew about 85,000 visitors.

The annual Megaport Festival has also helped establish Kaohsiung as a destination for live music. Held each spring, this festival brings together major Taiwanese acts, emerging artists and international performers, drawing music fans to the city’s harbor area.

Its combination of music, food and the waterfront setting has made it one of Taiwan’s best-known annual music events.

Kaohsiung’s event calendar extends beyond music. The biennial Kaohsiung International Container Arts Festival turns the city’s port landscape into a large-scale art space, using shipping containers and industrial materials as the basis for contemporary artworks and installations.

Launched in 2001, the event reflects Kaohsiung’s industrial heritage while introducing it through a more creative and accessible format. The 2025 edition, which ran from Dec. 20, 2025, to March 1, 2026, used containers as its central creative medium and explored themes including circular regeneration and cultural sustainability.

Together, recurring events such as these help give Kaohsiung a year-round cultural profile rather than relying on one-off attractions.

A growing appeal beyond Taipei

Kaohsiung’s growing international event calendar may also be helping give the city a more recognizable profile among Southeast Asian travelers. From music festivals and public art to cultural events featuring international performers and participants, the city is increasingly offering experiences that go beyond traditional sightseeing.

The trend reflects a broader shift in travel interest. Taipei remains the most-searched destination among Southeast Asian travelers, but Kaohsiung recorded the fastest growth, with searches up 65% year on year.

Other destinations, including Tainan, Pingtung and Kinmen, are also seeing sharp increases in interest, suggesting that Southeast Asian travelers are increasingly looking beyond Taiwan’s capital for more local and culturally distinctive experiences.