Taiwan Food Expo opens in Taipei, targets 10 million tourists by 2030

Taiwan Food Expo Lai Ching‑de Michelin restaurants tourism target 2030 Kaohsiung franchise expo

The 2026 Taiwan Food Expo opened on 31 July 2026 at Taipei World Trade Center Hall 1 and will run through 3 August. President Lai Ching‑de attended the opening and reiterated the government’s aim of attracting 10 million international visitors each year and generating tourism revenue of over NT$1 trillion by 2030.

The exhibition showcases 14 Michelin‑star and Bib Gourmand restaurants, a “Taiwan Good Food Pavilion” with 32 local vendors, and a programme of more than 100 chef demonstrations, including Ah‑Ji, James and Wu Bing‑cheng. The Agriculture Ministry offered 500 free eel tastings on the opening day, and tickets were priced at NT$200 (full), NT$150 (concession) and NT$100 (charity).

In parallel, a Kaohsiung Franchise Expo launched on the same day at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center, featuring around 100 franchise brands across food, retail, beauty and tech sectors. Organisers project NT$12 billion in business, the creation of over 800 new stores and about 3,000 jobs, and the event will serve as a warm‑up for the World Franchise Congress scheduled for October 2026.

Entities: Bridgewater, New Jersey · Kaohsiung Franchise Expo · Lai Ching‑de · Ministry of Economic Affairs (Taiwan) · Taipei World Trade Center · Taiwan · Taiwan Food Expo · Taiwan Food Expo · Taiwan Good Food Pavilion · Taiwan Night Market

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[○ 1 SOURCE] The Kaohsiung expo is expected to generate NT$12 billion in business, create over 800 new stores and about 3,000 jobs. (世界加盟年會前哨戰啟動　高雄加盟展匯聚百家品牌上看12億元商機 - 新頭條-TheHubNews)
[● 2 SOURCES] President Lai Ching‑de announced a goal of 10 million international visitors and tourism revenue exceeding NT$1 trillion by 2030. (台灣美食展開幕賴清德盼2030年觀光產值破兆)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Ticket prices were NT$200 for full admission, NT$150 for concession and NT$100 for charity. (2026 台灣美食展今天開幕！500 份鰻魚免費吃，門票、星廚秀與必吃亮點一次看 - 蘋果仁)
[● 2 SOURCES] The 2026 Taiwan Food Expo opened on 31 July 2026 at Taipei World Trade Center Hall 1 and will run through 3 August. (2026台灣美食展今天開幕！500 份鰻魚免費吃，門票、星廚秀與必吃亮點一次看 - 蘋果仁)
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Kaohsiung Franchise Expo opened on 31 July 2026 at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center featuring about 100 franchise brands. (世界加盟年會前哨戰啟動　高雄加盟展匯聚百家品牌上看12億元商機 - 新頭條-TheHubNews)
[● 3 SOURCES] The expo features 14 Michelin‑star and Bib Gourmand restaurants and a Taiwan Good Food Pavilion with 32 vendors. (「臺灣好食館」特色美食再次飄香2026台灣美食展 - 政府消息新聞 - PChome Online 新聞)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Star chefs including Ah‑Ji, James and Wu Bing‑cheng performed at the expo. (2026 台灣美食展今天開幕！500 份鰻魚免費吃，門票、星廚秀與必吃亮點一次看 - 蘋果仁)
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Agriculture Ministry offered 500 free eel tastings on 31 July at 15:00. (2026 台灣美食展今天開幕！500 份鰻魚免費吃，門票、星廚秀與必吃亮點一次看 - 蘋果仁)