Hong Kong topped a list of 10 destinations most visited by Taiwanese tourists from January to September of this year, according to a recent survey by the Taipei Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

The survey showed that by September, the number of Taiwanese trips to visit Hong Kong had reached 2.31 million. It was followed by Japan (978,000), Macau (910,000), the US (472,000) and Korea (327,000). Tourists traveling to these five destinations accounted for 72.4 percent of the nation's overseas tourism during these nine months.

When considering the percentage increase compared with the same time last year, the number of travelers visiting Vietnam has demonstrated the strongest growth, at almost 10 percent.

The number of Taiwanese tourists visiting Thailand this year, on the other hand, fell 5.9 percent -- the most drastic decline of the 10 countries.

The survey also showed that on average, a Taiwanese tourist spends 10 nights in a country before they return.

The results indicated that the aggregate expenditure overseas has topped NT$401.5 billion, registering a 14.8 percent increase.

The survey, albeit comprehensive, did not distinguish between business trips and those traveling for tourism purposes only.

Meanwhile, the decline in the number of Taiwanese tourists has caused some foreign tourism bureaus in Taiwan to launch marketing campaigns introducing tourist attractions in their own countries.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand, for example, has introduced specific travel routes tailored for gourmet food or shopping, enjoying spas or for visiting museums and exhibitions. (By Shelley Shan)