The Taichung City Government's Tourism and Travel Bureau has meticulously organized the 2024 Taichung International Pastry Festival to showcase the city's distinctive tourism culture. By integrating traditional pastries, historical sites, tea culture, and cultural and creative industries, the event offers a unique local tourism experience. This first edition has drawn a significant number of visitors from both Taiwan and abroad, revitalizing the traditional pastry sector and promoting tourism growth. Additionally, it won the Bronze Award for Public Service at the 11th Taiwan Event Awards, marking it as a highlight in Taichung's tourism industry.

Director Chen Mei-hsiu of the Tourism and Travel Bureau noted that the 2024 Taichung International Pastry Festival centers around pastry culture and features activities like the “Pastry Extravaganza” afternoon tea at the historical Wufeng Lin Family Garden and the “Pastry Champion” promotional event at the ancestral temple. These events aim to turn pastries into a highlight in tourism, while also linking local accommodations, tea, and cultural and creative industries. The collaboration led to the release of pastry-inspired cultural and creative products, boosting the appeal of pastry culture in the tourism market. This innovative “tourism + pastry culture” approach will continue to expand internationally, helping Taichung establish itself as a culturally rich international tourist city.

Director Chen mentioned that at the 11th Taiwan-Vietnam Tourism Cooperation Conference held this October, the Taichung City Government partnered with several pastry and tea businesses to promote Taichung's afternoon tea culture through the 2024 Taichung International Pastry Festival. The event also served to introduce the city's unique tourism offerings to the Vietnamese market, fostering deeper exchange and cooperation. According to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Vietnam ranks as the third-largest source of Southeast Asian visitors to Taiwan. Last year, the number of Vietnamese visitors to Taichung reached 380,000, ranking among the top five international markets for Taichung. This underscores the strong potential of the Vietnamese market, and the city government aims to leverage this cooperation to attract more Vietnamese visitors to experience Taichung’s vibrant tourism scene and take home culturally inspired souvenirs.

The Tourism and Travel Bureau highlighted the significant contributions of Tsai Wan-tsai, Honorary Chairman, and Chi Hsu-tung, Chairman of the Taichung City Bakery Association, to the success of the festival. Honorary Chairman Tsai noted that the Pastry Festival had elevated the global profile of Taichung's pastries, drawing international orders and setting new sales records. Chairman Chi noted that the cross-sector collaboration between pastry culture and local industries such as tea, hospitality, and others successfully attracted more tourists, turning the pastry industry into a key driver of tourism growth.

The Tourism and Travel Bureau pledges to further enhance the integration between Taichung's local pastry culture and the tourism industry, with the goal of promoting it internationally. This will allow international travelers to not only enjoy Taichung's desserts but also immerse themselves in the city's rich cultural heritage and vibrant innovation.