By Wang Shu-fen and Lee Hsin-Yin

TAIWAN / USA / CANADA, (CNA) –  A delegation comprising local government officials and travel agents under the guidance of the tourism administration left Taiwan Sunday to promote the country’s gourmet food in Canada and the United States, the first such campaign since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out nearly four years ago.

The delegation will hold three business-to-business promotion events on September 19 in Vancouver, September 21 in Los Angeles and September 25 in New York, according to a statement issued by the administration on Sunday.

In addition, “culinary classes” will be offered during the campaign events, where Taiwanese chefs will teach event goers how to make Hakka mochi and herbal tea bags, the administration said.

Another highlight will be a presentation from Bar Mood Taipei – selected as one of the top 50 bars in Asia for consecutive years recently – allowing participants to sample a unique cocktail using Yushan Signature Whisky, red heart guava and charcoal-roasted oolong tea, it said.

According to the administration, Taiwan recorded more than 325,000 inbound trips from the US and Canada in the first seven months of 2023, representing 75 percent of the level during the same period in 2019.

Meanwhile, Taoyuan International Airport Corp. said transport capacity between North America and Taiwan reached 80 percent of its pre-COVID level last month, with the US transit passenger market likely to have the greatest potential for growth in the future.