Taichung City in central Taiwan was recently named a trending travel destination for domestic and foreign tourists by U.S.-based vacation rental platform HomeAway.

Mayor Ko Wen-je attended the opening of the 2018 Taipei Lantern Festival. He appeared on stage carrying a conductor’s baton and leading a team of percussionists during the opening ceremony, joined by a group of dancing Pikachus.

Mayor Ko Wen-je raised the curtains for the 2018 Yangmingshan Flower Festival on February 22. During his address, he pointed out that Yangmingshan is well-known for both its natural and historical landscape, with a plethora of historical traces awaiting visitors via an uphill hike from Zhongshan Hall.

Prompted by Taichung City Government, the Guangfu New Village situated International Non-Government Organization (INGO) expects to expand Taiwan’s international recognition by global major NGOs’ station-in. While the city has joined the competition for hosting the “Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy, GFMDD”, last December during his visit to Taiwan, the Forum President Bruno Kaufmann was invited by Mayor Lin as an international consultant to INGO and he agreed. Today (12) on the Municipal A

Taichung City is welcoming the Flora Expo. Not only the popular mascots “Leopard Cat Family & Omi Horse” are busy promoting the international event, the first mascot themed convenient store, 7-11 at city hall, also has mascot paintings on their glass walls and over tabletop in the sitting area. The Flora Expo decoration has attracted many people to take photos on their way to city hall. The city government reminds that the “Super Early Bird Ticket” is available through to 2/28. Get your tickets

Taichung City Mayor Lin Chia-lung is in Israel to attend the 32nd International Mayors Conference and promote the central Taiwan metropolis, according to Taichung City Government Feb. 12.

Taiwan’s Chiayi, Tainan and Taoyuan cities are among the seven finalists worldwide for the 2018 Intelligent Community of the Year award organized by New York-headquartered think tank IC Forum.

Yuejin Lantern Festival, the romantic grand event everyone has been waiting for, will be held between Feb. 10 and Mar. 4 this year at Yuejin Harbor in Yanshui District, Tainan City, with the theme “Rendezvous”. The curation team invited international and domestic artists, as well as local college students, to submit their artworks and present a brand new visual production at the festival.

Deputy Mayor Chen chin-chun unveiled the mini-lantern for the Year of the Dog and promised to bring alive the glory of Taipei at the upcoming lantern festival during a press event on February 2.

Mayor Ko Wen-je arrived in Istanbul Airport at 10 PM on February 3. Turkey is the last stop of the Taipei delegation’s trip to Europe.