Taitung County
Taiwan's most indigenous county (35%): Amis, Puyuma, Bunun cultures anchor tourism. 2024 earthquake reduced balloon festival attendance 28%. By 2026, transport recovery and cultural authenticity test preservation-based development model.
Taiwan's least developed county by GDP per capita is also its most indigenous—Taitung hosts the highest proportion of aboriginal population (approximately 35%), including Amis, Puyuma, Bunun, Rukai, and Paiwan peoples. This demographic uniqueness shapes economic choices: cultural tourism, organic agriculture, and natural preservation over industrial development.
The Taiwan International Balloon Festival (held in Luye Highland) attracted 800,000+ visitors before the 2024 Hualien earthquake damaged regional transportation, reducing attendance 28%. Hot springs, the Taitung coast, and Green Island attract domestic tourists seeking escape from metropolitan density.
Rice paddies, release (wild-caught juveniles grown to market size) aquaculture, and organic farming characterize agricultural production. Taitung rice commands premium prices; the county positions itself as organic/natural agriculture hub. But remoteness and small scale limit export competitiveness.
2026 trajectory: Transportation recovery after earthquake determines tourism rebound. Indigenous cultural tourism expands as authenticity becomes premium product. The county tests whether peripheral status enables preservation-based development or merely ensures continued marginalization.