Taiwan Tourism administration sponsors Portland marathon for first time to promote Taiwan travel and wellness tourism

Runners stop by the Taiwan Tourism Administration booth at the Portland Marathon pre-race expo at the Oregon Convention Center, where staff use a "Nature" fortune card to introduce Taiwan's mountain scenery.

Visitors at the expo booth study a Taiwan travel map.

A full view of the Taiwan Tourism Administration booth at the Portland Marathon Finish Line Festival on October 4, where a backdrop of Taiwan travel destinations and themed banners welcomed finishers

Taiwan Tourism Administration Inviting Pacific Northwest Runners on a Wellness Journey with a Fortune Stick Draw

SEATTLE, OR, UNITED STATES, October 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Taiwan Tourism Administration (TTA) sponsored the Portland Marathon, the Pacific Northwest's signature annual running event, for the first time this year, hosting a Taiwan tourism booth at the pre-race expo on October 3 and at the Finish Line Festival on October 4. Drawing on the everyday Taiwanese custom of seeking guidance from the gods by drawing fortune sticks at a temple, the booth invited runners and visitors to draw a stick and discover the Taiwan travel experience that suits them best. Built around wellness themes of mountains and forests, hot springs, and tea culture, the booth introduced Taiwan to health-minded, outdoor-loving runners, turning race-weekend encounters into interest in visiting Taiwan and continuing to grow the U.S. Northwest market.

Oregon holds an important place in the history of American running culture. Its residents love the outdoors, value balance of body and mind, and have both the means and the appetite for long-haul, immersive travel, making the region a strong match for Taiwan's natural and wellness tourism resources. Following its title sponsorship of the Colfax Marathon 5K in Denver earlier in 2026, TTA has again used an international sports platform to extend its outreach from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Northwest. Beyond taking part in a race, the Portland Marathon gave Taiwan the opportunity to reach consumers with a shared interest in sports, travel, and outdoor living.

A Taiwanese Fortune at the Expo
TTA brought the temple tradition of drawing fortune sticks to the race venue. Visitors drew a stick from a fortune container at the booth, with three colors representing three wellness themes for traveling in Taiwan: Nature, Hot Springs, and Tea Culture. An on-site "fortune interpreter" then read each draw in a lighthearted way, introducing Taiwan's mountain trails, hot springs, and tea culture one stick at a time.

Visitors found the experience fresh and joined in enthusiastically. Tea Culture and Hot Springs resonated most. Many were excited to learn that hot springs can be found across northern, central, southern, and eastern Taiwan, with a wide variety of spring types that even include seabed and mud hot springs. Those who drew a Tea Culture stick were especially delighted. In addition to taking home tea bags to enjoy, they were pleased to learn that teas from different Taiwanese tea farms each have their own flavor, and showed strong interest in tea-picking and tea-tasting experiences in Taiwan.

Brochures on half-day transit tours, the Taiwan PASS, running events around the island, cycling travel, and Taiwan's endemic birds were all claimed over the two days. "I didn't expect to find Taiwan here. I had no idea Taiwan has so many running events all year round!" said one visitor. Many others were drawn to round-island cycling and Taiwan's cities, and stayed to learn more.

The China Airlines Seattle Branch also exhibited at the Portland Marathon expo. In addition to presenting its Asia and North America routes, cabin service, and in-flight dining, the airline introduced the half-day transit tours and the "Return to Taiwan, Double Your Luck" campaign, helping runners interested in Taiwan learn about flight options and plan travel in Asia, and connecting race-weekend exposure with actual travel to Taiwan.
Two Days from Expo to Finish Line, and a First for "Return to Taiwan"

"Return to Taiwan, Double Your Luck" official website: 5000.taiwan.net.tw
On both days, the booth featured a visual backdrop combining Taiwan's diverse travel destinations and offered information on the Taiwan PASS, the Taiwan High Speed Rail buy-one-get-one-free offer, half-day transit tours, and marathon and cycling travel in Taiwan, so that visitors could go from a single fortune stick to practical trip planning and transportation deals.

Notably, the "Return to Taiwan, Double Your Luck" campaign, which opened for registration on October 1, made its first appearance at an in-person Taiwan tourism booth at the Portland Marathon. Staff introduced the campaign and invited past visitors to return to Taiwan and bring family and friends along.
Connecting Sport and Travel Through Wellness

"Oregon is not only the birthplace of the global sports brand Nike, but also a region that helped drive the modern American jogging movement, develop world-class distance runners, and build a culture of running for everyone," said Szu-Hsien (Sylvia) Lee, Director of the Taiwan Tourism Administration San Francisco Office. "By taking part in running events under the themes of sports, outdoor adventure, and healthy living, TTA can reach potential travelers who love sports and value well-being, and connect Taiwan's hiking, trail running, cycling, hot springs, and natural scenery with runners' outdoor interests. Through pre-race, on-site, and post-race digital marketing, we continue to raise the visibility of Taiwan's tourism brand, so that North American runners see Taiwan not only as an ideal place to relax and recover after a race, but also as an Asian destination that brings together outdoor adventure, culture, cuisine, and wellness.

"This promotion also featured TTA's Taiwan PASS digital transportation pass and the 'Return to Taiwan, Double Your Luck' incentive for returning international visitors. We encourage travelers to use Taiwan's convenient transportation to explore its mountain trails, hot springs, tea culture, temples, and local cuisine. With returning visitors who bring a companion eligible to win up to NT$8,000 in spending credit, the program is designed to stimulate travel demand among both first-time and repeat visitors. By integrating running events with travel incentives, we hope to turn brand exposure into real travel intent and action, encourage more North Americans to make Taiwan their next destination in Asia, and in turn broaden our source markets and increase visitor arrivals."

Through its first Portland Marathon sponsorship, TTA hopes to share one message with runners and travelers who love healthy living: crossing the finish line is not the end of the journey. Taiwan can be the start of the next one, a restorative trip worth savoring. TTA hopes that everyone who stopped by the Taiwan booth will turn that encounter into a real trip to Taiwan.

Taiwan Tourism
Taiwan Tourism Information Center
+1 206-888-8709
Visit us on social media:
Instagram
Facebook