Where shall you visit during the coming New Year holiday? The 2008 Happy Tour in Taichung prepared by the Taiwan Tourist Organization and supervised by the Taichung City Government and Industrial Development and Investment Promotion Committee of Taichung City, included 6 themes for their tour packages. The themese consisted of historic, cultural, architectural, technological, romantic, and a night view, forming 10 tour packages associated with the 2008 Central Taiwan Lantern Festival. During the Lunar New Year Holiday, the tours will accompany denizens to explore the city, and the first 100 registered tourists will be granted a Taichung famous food gift by Mayor Hu. 

According to Deputy Mayor Hsiao, the 2008 Happy Tour has its purpose to market the city and enjoy tourists from outside of the city in some famous tourism spots with a super-valued price. The best choices were 2 day and one night tours for NT1499 dollars per person, and people can choose one from those 10 package tours to explore the city at day time and visit the Lantern Festival site at night. The second day is usually a free day for shopping, easy exploring, or a self-paid tour of tourists who can get a full “harvest”.

The first 100 tourists registering for the Tour beginning today until the end of February will receive the Taichung famous food gift from Mayor Hu, said Executive Wang of the Industrial Development and Investment Promotion Committee of Taichung City. People interested may call 04-36026677or 080-080-8989, the service center for Happy Tour, or browse the website (http://www.gotw.org.tw).

In 6 themes and 10 packages of the 2008 Happy Tour in Taichung, there are historic tours (Taichung Park, WenYin Hall, Mayor’s House, Broadcasting Bureau, and Lantern Festival) and cultural tours (the Luce Chapel in Tunghai University, Utopia art street, Tunghai commercial district, and Lantern Festival) (Sun Cake Museum, century-old bookstore or painting Sax Home, Taichung Park, and Lantern Festival).

Architectural tours provide 2 choices, Taichung Governance Hall (Japanese Occupancy Period) and the current City Hall, Taichung City Office, new architecture appreciation in the 7-stage area, and Lantern Festival; and Mayor’s House, Broadcasting Bureau, new architecture appreciation in the 7-stage area, and Lantern Festival. The Hi-tech tour includes the National Museum of Natural Science, Central Taiwan Science Park, Utopia Art Street, and Lantern Festival.

Romance tour covers some spots, such as National Museum of Natural Science, National Art Museum, Cultural Center, Fine Art Avenue, and Lantern Festival, with the alternative including Taichung Governance Hall (Japanese Occupancy Period) and current City Hall, Taichung Park, Broadcasting Bureau, and Lantern Festival. The Night View tour will bring tourists to see Taichung Governance Hall (Japanese Occupancy Period) and current City Hall, Taichung City Office, new architecture appreciation in the 7-stage area, Fungcha night market, and Lantern Festival, or the alternative route covers Metropolitan Park, Utopia Art Street, Tunghai commercial district, and Lantern Festival.