Kaohsiung is reviewing plans to extend its MRT network farther east, with future routes aimed at improving connections to Jiuqutang Station (九曲堂站), Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum (佛光山佛陀紀念館), Dashu (大樹), and Cishan (旗山).

Liu said the Penghu International Fireworks Festival was once successful at attracting visitors during the slow season. However, after more than 20 years, the event has lost some of its novelty, and recent collaborations with popular IP brands have not been enough to offset wider changes in travel behavior.

The “Friendly Relay Program” will commence on July 1. YouBike members will automatically receive a NT$5 riding coupon when they borrow a bike from a full station, helping free up a dock, or return a bike to an empty station, helping make a bike available for the next rider.

Tourism officials say the added water recreation options should help Dapeng Bay attract more domestic and international visitors.

The company recorded an operating loss of more than NT$44 million, plus non-operating losses of almost NT$18 million, bringing its net loss to more than NT$62.18 million. It was the company’s largest annual loss since pandemic restrictions were lifted in 2021. Accumulated losses now stand at more than NT$1.2 billion, reports said.

The new Tainan-Penghu route would allow travelers in the Tainan area to depart directly from Jiangjun instead of traveling to Kaohsiung or Chiayi to take a boat to Penghu, officials said.

The Transportation Bureau (高雄市交通局) said traffic controls would be introduced around major tourist sites during the three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday from June 19 to 21, with large crowds expected at Cijin, Sizihwan, Hamasen, Pier-2, Shoushan Zoo, Fo Guang Shan, Cishan, Meinong, and Dream Mall. During the holiday, tourists with gasoline-powered scooters will be barred from boarding the Gushan-Cijin ferry from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Cijin residents, electric scooter riders, cyclists, and people on official business are exempt from the restriction.

The Tainan Tourism Bureau (台南市政府觀光旅遊局) said it has trained seven certified sign-language guides, including two with Class B sign-language interpreter certification. The guides are expected to join the city’s walking-tour program, beginning with the Confucius Temple route, which links several major cultural sites in central Tainan.

Kaohsiung has launched a new international tourism campaign, with promotional ads rolling out in Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and Malaysia as the city tries to raise its profile in key overseas travel markets.

The move follows repeated complaints about congestion at the airport during what officials have described as “extreme peak” hours. Passenger flow is especially heavy between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m., when more than 2,000 travelers can enter the departure area within a two-hour window.