Ferry Boost for Taiwan-Japan Travel: A new Keelung–Ishigaki (Yaeyama) ferry route launched after an 18-year gap, aiming to cut travel time to about 8 hours and bring more Japanese visitors to Taiwan, with one round trip per week at the start. More Connectivity, More Tourism: A separate Taiwan–Japan ferry service also began on a ship that can support evacuation needs, underscoring how transport links are being positioned as tourism and logistics “bridges.” Cross-Strait Calendar Update: Taiwan’s government agencies released the 2027 holiday calendar, including Lunar New Year’s 7-day break and compensatory rest-day rules when holidays fall on weekends. Cashless Convenience for Travelers: PayPal users can make cashless payments in China via Tencent’s WeChat Pay merchant network, a move aimed at easing spending for foreign tourists. Local Travel Safety Moment: Chinese police officers in Dunhuang used bare hands to retrieve a lost phone belonging to a Taiwanese tourist, a feel-good story that’s already going viral. Japan Travel Demand from Taiwan: Taiwanese visitors are increasingly choosing Kyushu for “local-ish” trips, with arrivals up sharply. Air Travel Watch: Air cargo demand in the Asia-Pacific is rising as businesses stockpile amid Strait of Hormuz uncertainty, even as costs and volatility remain high. Book-to-Table Tourism: Taiwan Travelogue won the International Booker Prize, spotlighting Taiwanese food and storytelling for global readers.