Taichung City Recognized with National Industry Innovation Award for Festival Innovation and International Investment Dual-Track Strategy

Driving industry through events and boosting the economy through innovation! The ninth National Industry Innovation Awards by the Ministry of Economic Affairs—commonly regarded as the "Oscar of Industrial Innovation"—announced its winners yesterday (10th). For the first time, government institutions were eligible to compete, with Deputy Director Li Yi-An of the Economic Development Bureau accepting the award on behalf of the city.

Mayor Lu Shiow-Yen said Taichung City Government was honored with the "Outstanding Innovation Award" for its submission titled "Innovative Festival Economy Activities and Digital Platforms." Two major highlights received high acclaim from industry and academic expert judges: festival activities boosting domestic demand and employment, and steady international investment inflows enhancing city competitiveness, demonstrating Taichung's new paradigm of dual-track smart governance and industrial innovation.

Festival Economy and Innovation Strategy
Economic Development Bureau Director Chang Feng-Yuan stated that Mayor Lu Shiow-Yen has vigorously promoted festival economy and industrial innovation policies, successfully building Taichung's brand image, enhancing economic output, and creating a business-friendly investment environment.

First, the "Festival Economy Trilogy"—consisting of price stabilization vouchers, the Hot Pot and BBQ Festival, and the Shopping Festival—combines creative festival activities with digital tools through the Taichung Pass (TCPASS) platform. This initiative mobilizes merchants to voluntarily offer additional promotional discounts, coupled with high public participation that amplifies excitement, successfully increasing the city's attractiveness and driving economic growth.

The 2024 Taichung Shopping Festival further advanced toward internationalization by inviting ambassadors from Belgium, Singapore, and Japan as spokespersons. The festival achieved registration amounts exceeding NT$35.3 billion, with total app downloads surpassing 2.8 million, creating national economic output of over NT$72.2 billion. Event information reached 47 countries and regions, including Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as over 500 hotels across Asia.

International Investment and Industrial Innovation
Secondly, continuous innovation has been key to this award recognition. Industrial innovation serves as the foundation for the city's global integration. The city government has created an investment-friendly environment with one-stop service windows for enterprises. Under Taiwan's "Three Major Investment Programs," Taichung has accumulated 345 approved projects with a total value exceeding NT$375.8 billion, making it a preferred investment destination.

International brands Kempinski and Marriott have successively established operations in Taichung, with hospitality investments alone exceeding NT$25 billion, creating over one hundred employment opportunities and significantly enhancing Taichung's urban competitiveness.

The city government simultaneously promotes industrial upgrading through the "Corporate Advanced Manufacturing Academy Program," cultivating next-generation expertise in AI, net-zero carbon emissions, and digital transformation, training over 1,300 participants in three years. It has also formed an "ESG Advisory Team" to assist 141 enterprises in completing carbon risk inventory and assessment, ensuring Taichung's industrial transformation is not just evolution, but sustainable development.

Infrastructure Development
The Economic Development Bureau explained that the Taichung International Convention and Exhibition Center, scheduled to open by year-end, will become central Taiwan's largest exhibition landmark. It can accommodate the needs of machine tools, hand tools, woodworking machinery, and various local industries, serving as a window to the world and implementing the "Front Store, Back Factory, Free Port" economic development policy for prosperous Taichung.

International Recognition
The Economic Development Bureau added that the Taichung Shopping Festival and Taichung Pass (TCPASS) have successively won five international recognitions: the 2020 WITSA Global ICT Excellence Award Grand Prize, the 2023 WITSA International ICT Award's "Outstanding Public-Private Partnership Service Award," ASOCIO Asia-Pacific ICT Application Award's "Digital Transformation Award," the 2024 Go Smart Grand Prize, and last year's "Asia Pacific Sustainability Action Award."

The city government has once again achieved excellence by winning the Ministry of Economic Affairs' National Industry Innovation Award's "Outstanding Innovation" recognition, further enhancing Taichung's international brand presence. Mayor Lu Shiow-Yen emphasized This honor comes from citizens' support and collective efforts from all sectors. The city government will continue to work hand-in-hand with citizens and industry to pursue excellence and innovation, jointly building a happy and livable city!

Advertorial by Economic Development Bureau, Taichung City Government