Chan Brothers Travel wins first-ever AsiaOne Travel Planner contest

SINGAPORE - An itinerary featuring uniquely Taiwanese activities has garnered the most votes in the first-ever AsiaOne Travel Planner contest.

This contest is the first edition of a collaborative campaign between Taiwan Tourism Bureau, EVA Air and four Singapore tour agencies - ASA Holidays, Chan Brothers Travel, Dynasty Travel and Nam Ho Travel.

Each travel agency had to design a brand-new travel itinerary for a 6-day tour of Taiwan, highlighting the best attractions.

Chan Brothers Travel's free-and-easy trip featuring Yilan Shangri-La Leisure Farm and Sun Moon Lake, one of the eight wonders of Taiwan, came out the ultimate winner in a tight race between the four travel agencies.

With close to 40 per cent of the votes, Chan Brothers Travel topped the contest with the first runner-up, Dynasty Travel, coming in close behind.

Chan Brothers Travel was founded in 1965 by chairman Mr Chan Liang Choy with three employees at a rented shop in Cecil Street selling air and train tickets. Today, it is one of Singapore's largest tour agencies.

Their winning itinerary highlighted Taipei's top attractions in a sight-seeing tour and also lets tour goers travel in style from Jiufen to Taichung with a personal driver. The trip includes a shopping and food feast at the night markets.

From the pool of voters who picked Chan Brothers Travel, two lucky readers, Mr Teo Yee Long and Ms Joeanne Shim, won travel vouchers worth $1,000 each. The prize also included return airfares on EVA Air.

Mr Teo told AsiaOne Travel that he was very surprised to win and felt "very lucky" as he thought there were many other contestants.

It will be his first time visiting Taiwan, and he will be bringing his wife and two children along. The activity he is most looking forward to is the trip to Yilan farm as he thinks his kids will enjoy that.

Ms Shim will be visiting Taiwan with her husband. She told AsiaOne Travel that she did her university studies in Taiwan and it has been around 10 years since she went back.

The Yilan farm and Sun Moon Lake were what attracted Ms Shim to vote for the itinerary. She visited the lake before and hopes to experience the scenic sights again with her husband.

wjeanne@sph.com.sg