Internet connection while travelling overseas is a huge boon – you can find your way with Google Maps, suss out must-eats nearby you, and check the weather so you don’t get drenched in rain while hiking up a mountain.
Taiwan’s government has just made it easier for tourists by extending free Wi-Fi services for travelers island-wide. This follows after the government in 2011 launched free public Wi-Fi in Taipei.
In a press release on Tuesday, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau said the government has set up about 4,400 “iTaiwan” Wi-Fi hotspots at major tourist spots, transportation hubs, cultural establishments and government offices all over the island. On top of that, iTaiwan has established roaming agreements with four local governments for tourists to access other Wi-Fi hotspots including TPE-Free in Taipei City, New Taipei in the city of that name, iTaichung in the city of Taichung, and Tainan-WiFi in the city of Tainan.
All tourists need is a passport, and they can apply for an iTaiwan account at a Taiwan Tourism Bureau service counter or any visitor counter across the island, according to the press release. The entire service will be free of charge.
Foreign tourist arrivals hit a record-breaking 7.3 million in Taiwan last year, and that could increase to 7.7 million this year, with China and Southeast Asian countries the main sources of growth, the tourism bureau has said.
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