With more people staying indoors as COVID-19 cases increase, countries are promoting opportunities to travel using their computer.
Taiwanese are being asked to work and study remotely as much as possible, but as many other countries have learned over the past year, it can be hard to fight boredom while fighting the pandemic.
Some places have responded by putting together “itineraries” for armchair travelers to enjoy far-off destinations from home.
For art lovers, the Hong Kong Tourism Board is promoting events that can be enjoyed from afar through its “Arts in HK” Web site.
Its “online showcases” include this year’s edition of the Art Basel Hong Kong fair, as well as the Art Central Capsule, which ends on Friday next week, and the Yim Tin Tsai Arts Festival.
Art Basel’s Hong Kong show, while canceled last year due to the pandemic, is back twice as strong this year with online and offline components.
On its new digital platform, Art Basel Live: Hong Kong, visitors can peruse virtual galleries and attend online events each day, including virtual tours and fair highlights.
The show ends tomorrow.
The Yim Tin Tsai Arts Festival is showcasing the last of its three-year arts revival project until July 16.
Held in a small village on Yim Tin Tsai Island in Sai Kung known for its unique combination of Catholic and Hakka cultures, the Hong Kong Tourism Commission initiated a three-year project to transform the island into an “open museum” through collaboration between residents and artists.
Now in its last edition, the festival offers a 360° degree virtual reality feature with an audio guide to give overseas participants a chance to visit and hear stories about the island.
Chubu Centrair International Airport near Nagoya, Japan, is also planning a unique virtual event for Taiwanese on June 12.
YouTuber Alan (阿倫) is to lead participants on a tour of locations in central Japan, including Shirakawa Go and Takayama in Gifu Prefecture, and Nabana no Sato in Mie Prefecture, the airport said.
For an additional fee, registrants would also receive a gift box, including DIY activities to be completed on the tour, it said.
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