When the Portland Marathon’s finish line came down on October 4, the Taiwan Tourism Administration (TTA) wasn’t just another sponsor watching from the sidelines — it was making a strategic debut in a region known for its deep running culture and outdoor lifestyle.
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) stepped into the Pacific Northwest’s premier running event for the first time, setting up a Taiwan tourism booth at the pre-race expo on October 3 and the Finish Line Festival the following day. The booth drew on the familiar Taiwanese temple practice of drawing fortune sticks — a ritual where people seek divine guidance — to match each visitor with a personalized Taiwan travel theme. With a focus on wellness experiences like mountain forests, hot springs, and tea culture, the activation aimed to spark curiosity among health-conscious, outdoorsy runners and turn weekend race excitement into genuine travel interest in the U.S. Northwest market.
Oregon’s place in American running lore is well established. Residents here prize the outdoors, seek balance between body and mind, and have both the resources and desire for long-haul, immersive trips — making the region a natural fit for Taiwan’s nature-based and wellness tourism offerings. Hot on the heels of its title sponsorship of the Colfax Marathon 5K in Denver earlier in 2026, TTA has once again leveraged an international sports platform to stretch its reach from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Northwest. More than just race participation, the Portland Marathon provided a direct channel to consumers who already share interests in sports, travel, and outdoor living.
A Taiwanese Fortune at the Expo
TTA brought the temple tradition of fortune stick drawing straight to the race venue. At the booth, visitors pulled a stick from a fortune container, with three colors corresponding to three wellness travel themes in Taiwan: Nature, Hot Springs, and Tea Culture. An on-site “fortune interpreter” playfully revealed each draw, introducing Taiwan’s mountain trails, hot springs, and tea culture one stick at a time.
The concept landed well, and visitors jumped in with enthusiasm. Tea Culture and Hot Springs drew the most interest. Many were surprised and delighted to learn that hot springs are scattered across northern, central, southern, and eastern Taiwan, offering a wide range of spring types — even seabed and mud varieties. Those who pulled a Tea Culture stick were especially thrilled. Beyond taking home tea bags, they learned that teas from different Taiwanese farms each carry their own distinct flavor, and they showed keen interest in tea-picking and tea-tasting experiences on the island.
Over the two days, brochures covering half-day transit tours, the Taiwan PASS, running events around the island, cycling travel, and Taiwan’s endemic birds were all snapped up. “I didn’t expect to find Taiwan here. I had no idea Taiwan has so many running events all year round!” one visitor remarked. Others were drawn to round-island cycling and Taiwan’s cities, lingering to learn more.
The China Airlines Seattle Branch also set up at the Portland Marathon expo. In addition to showcasing its Asia and North America routes, cabin service, and in-flight dining, the airline promoted its half-day transit tours and the “Return to Taiwan, Double Your Luck” campaign — helping interested runners understand flight options and plan Asia travel, effectively connecting race-weekend exposure with real travel decisions.
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 of Taiwan’s diverse travel destinations and provided details 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 visitors could move 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 debut at an in-person Taiwan tourism booth at the Portland Marathon. Staff introduced the initiative and invited past visitors to return to Taiwan with family and friends.
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
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Why it matters: This sponsorship marks a deliberate shift in how Taiwan courts North American travelers — not through generic destination ads, but by embedding itself in the lifestyle communities where potential visitors already gather. For the Pacific Northwest’s running enthusiasts, Taiwan is now positioned as a post-race recovery destination with tangible incentives, which could meaningfully boost visitor numbers from a region with strong travel spending power.
