Feeling curious about the natural look of the Anping Tree House, the Tainan FAM tour group members from travel agencies in Hong Kong tilt their heads to observe the building and listen to the explanation attentively. (Photographed by Jyun-Jhong Wang)

7-9-2013 Liberty Times
By Jyun-Jhong Wang from Tainan

 The first regular direct flight between Tainan and Hong Kong operated by China Airlines will take off from Tainan in mid-July. China Airlines, the flight operator, invited over 30 tour operators in Hong Kong to take a familiarization tour of Tainan before the debut flight. During their visit to the Anping Tree House yesterday, the tour group members were amazed about how it was blended into nature, and expressed high interests in developing tour packages to Tainan.

 The city government stated that with the proactive efforts of Mayor Ching-Te Lai, China Airlines will launch regular flights between Tainan and Hong Kong on July 18, marking Tainan the second international port in southern Taiwan.

With the full assistance of the Tainan City Government, the Tourism Bureau invited 13 travel agencies in Hong Kong to join a two-day tour in Tainan before the launch of the flight, to give them first-hand experience of the beautiful culture and authentic delicacies and snacks in the greater Tainan area. This familiarization tour was led by Huei-Ming Tang, President of the China Airlines Hong Kong Branch. A total of more than 30 people from 13 travel agencies, including Bao Shinn International, EGL Tours and Four Seas Travel, attended the tour.

China Airlines holds an outstanding business awarding ceremony every year, and this year the ceremony took place at the Tayih Landis Hotel Tainan in recognition of the debut flight between Tainan and Hong Kong and to offer tour operators an opportunity to experience the different dimensions of Tainan, according to Huei-Ming Tang..

The Tourism Bureau and Tainan City Government Tourism Bureau painst the Tourism Bureau and Tainan City Government Tourism Bureau designed a number of distinctive itineraries on July 8, including an ecological tour in the wetlands, the Anping Tree House, Chuan-Wei Homemade Ice Cream, Old Tait & Co. Merchant House, Shennong Street, and street arts along Hai'an Road. Today’s itinerary will include the Eternal Golden Castle, Confucius Temple, Fujhong Street, Tainan Golf Club, Sinhua Old Street, and Hutoupi Scenic Area.

The city government pointed out that the direct flights between Tainan and Hong Kong will not only make traveling between Taiwan and Hong Kong or Macao easier for people from Yunlin, Chiayi and Tainan, but also help push the tourism industry in Tainan onto the international stage. The city government anticipates a new upsurge in tourism in both Taiwan and Hong Kong. It also hopes to launch more international flights at Tainan Airport.