Taichung has emerged as one of the world’s eight top trending destinations, according to an analysis by online travel agency Booking.com that compared hotel booking rates before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Known for its delectable local cuisine and beautiful ancient temples, Taichung is among the top eight trending destinations to explore in 2022,” said Regina Chan (???), area manager of Booking.com Taiwan, in a press release on Oct. 27.
The city is famous for big night markets and delicious snacks such as sun cakes, meatballs and bubble tea, the website said.
Booking.com also highlighted the city’s historical temples, including the 200-year-old Lecheng Temple, the ornate Chenghuang Temple, and the three-hall style Wanhe Temple, which “showcase intricate architecture and reveal the rich cultural past of the city’s ancestors.”
Joining Taichung among the travel agency’s trending destinations were Atlanta, Gramado in Brazil, Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Bra?ov in Romania, Llandudno in the United Kingdom, Montpellier in France, and Melaka in Malaysia.
According to Booking.com, the list was compiled after its data analysts selected the top 1,000 booked destinations during the June-September 2021 period and ranked the fastest growing in comparison to their bookings in 2019 before the pandemic surged.
The destinations were also slightly adjusted to ensure geographic distribution and not feature the same country twice, it said.
The naming of Taichung as a trending destination came as Taipei was ranked as the second best city of the world to visit next year in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2022, released by the travel guide publisher last month.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel