Invoice Registrations Hit Record NT$1.228 Billion
Total invoice registrations for the 2026 Chiayi Shopping Festival reached NT$1.228 billion, a record high, with an awards ceremony held on the 6th. Chiayi Mayor Huang Min-hui personally presented grand prizes including a VOLVO EX30 Core electric car valued at NT$1.399 million, NT$1 million in cash, an LV designer bag, and Kymco electric scooters. Huang Min-hui said that, together with NT$278 million in invoice spending driven by the Chiayi citizens-only Spend NT$1,000 Get NT$100 Back program, this year's festival generated a total of NT$1.506 billion in spending, demonstrating Chiayi City's strong consumer demand and urban economic vitality.
Seven Years of Effort, Sales Hit New Highs
Looking back at Chiayi City's economic development, from 2015 to 2018 (Years 104 to 107), profit-seeking enterprise sales were once stuck at low levels, followed by challenges including the pandemic, U.S. tariffs, and typhoon damage. As a city centered on the service industry, the city government relaunched the Chiayi Shopping Festival in 2020 (Year 109), using spending incentives to connect local commercial districts, specialty stores, and hotel operators to draw visitors to spend in Chiayi. After seven years of effort, festival invoice registrations grew from about NT$200 million in the first year to NT$1.228 billion this year, while Chiayi City's profit-seeking enterprise sales have set new historical records for seven consecutive years.
Three Tourism and Accommodation Indicators Grow Together
Huang Min-hui joked that on weekends Chiayi City's roads are often packed with tourists and popular shops often have long lines. In the past, Chiayi people often used eating a bowl of chicken rice to describe something very simple and easy, but now even getting a bowl of chicken rice requires queuing. She stressed that the shopping festival is not just a promotion, but also an important force for marketing the city. Construction Department Director Luo Zi-zheng noted that in the first half of 2026 (Year 115), Chiayi City's accommodation industry profit-seeking enterprise sales reached nearly NT$1.92 billion, a new high, up 24.13%, with overnight stays exceeding 1.21 million, up about 15% year on year, and total tourist visits surpassing 19.79 million, with all three indicators growing together.
Spend NT$1,000 Get NT$100 Back Combines Spending and Charity
The citizens-only Spend NT$1,000 Get NT$100 Back program held during the festival attracted more than 50,000 participants, generating NT$278 million in cumulative invoice spending and collecting about 200,000 donated invoices for local social welfare groups. This year, 21 partner hotels, 410 local partner stores, and partners from all sectors participated. Huang Min-hui presented certificates of appreciation to thank the Chiayi City Hotel Business Association, the Homestay Association, and partner hotel operators, who since the domestic travel downturn have paid out of pocket to offer NT$600 Chiayi travel vouchers with hotel stays. The top three issuers of Chiayi travel vouchers, Nice Prince Hotel, Hotelday+ Peach City Tea Experience, and Hsin Yue Garden Hotel, were recognized. Local businesses also continued their support, with the Chiayi City Real Estate Development Business Association sponsoring 10 electric scooters for six consecutive years, and the Chiayi City Automobile Business Association working with VOLVO Huisheng Motors to upgrade the top car prize.
Million-Dollar Electric Car and Jia-Gou King Winners Announced
Both million-dollar grand prizes this year were drawn from cloud invoices. The top prize, a million-dollar electric car, went to Ms. Ye of Chiayi City, a first-time participant, who won a VOLVO EX30 Core electric car valued at NT$1.399 million with a single cloud invoice for sneakers. Ms. Ye said she had simply registered her everyday paper and cloud invoices for the draw, happened to need a new car, and would definitely participate again next year. The special prize of NT$1 million in cash went to Ms. Wei of Chiayi County, who was participating in the festival for the second year and had linked a cloud invoice carrier for registration. This year's Jia-Gou King contest was won by Mr. Lin of Taichung City, with cumulative personal registered spending of NT$37,908,736, taking home the LV designer bag. Event details are available on the 2026 Chiayi Shopping Festival Facebook page.