New york: Taiwan and Japan's Okinawa Prefecture have launched a joint tourism promotion campaign in New York, aiming to appeal to North American travelers with the concept of a multi-stop Asia itinerary. The event, held on Thursday, marks the first collaboration between the two destinations in a bid to enhance tourism opportunities.

According to Focus Taiwan, Tom Lee, head of Taiwan's representative office in New York, highlighted the strategic partnership between Taiwan and Okinawa by pointing out their geographical proximity. He emphasized that a flight from Taipei to Okinawa takes approximately 90 minutes, which is significantly shorter than the flight from Okinawa to Tokyo, lasting over two hours. This geographical advantage underpins the rationale for their cooperation in tourism promotion.

Jin Juang, director of Taiwan's New York office, noted that travelers from the eastern United States show a keen interest in cultural experiences, culinary exploration, and in-depth travel. He explained that Taiwan and Okinawa offer complementary tourism experiences in these areas, making them attractive destinations for travelers seeking flexible and diverse Asia travel itineraries.

Tatsunori Uezu, a planning director at Okinawa's tourism promotion division, shared that Okinawa's recent recognition by The New York Times as one of the "52 Places to Go in 2026" serves as a significant milestone. He expressed hope that this recognition would help attract more international visitors to explore the islands, thereby boosting Okinawa's tourism industry.