2026 Kaohsiung Wonderland Draws Over 7.31 Million Visits, Generating More Than NT$12.6 Billion in Tourism Output with Ultraman in the Spotlight
Updated:2026-05-04
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The 2026 Kaohsiung Wonderland opened on February 7 and officially came to a close yesterday (March 1). Over the course of its 23-day run, the event attracted more than 7.31 million visits and generated over NT$12.6 billion in tourism output. Visitors from outside Kaohsiung accounted for more than 40% of total attendance on average, rising to over 50% during the Lunar New Year holiday, driving broad growth across tourism, accommodation, transportation, dining, and retail districts. With the theme "Superheroes Arrive in the Harbor City," this year's event paid tribute to the unsung heroes in every corner of Taiwan's cities. Through the beloved Japanese classic IP Ultraman, now marking its 60th anniversary, the program combined displays on land, at sea, and in the air with Kaohsiung's urban landscape. Together with 22 free amusement rides at Piers 16-18, Ultraman meet-and-greet events, family interactive performances, related activities, a steady stream of surprise Easter eggs, and diverse food and creative markets, the event drew visitors across generations and attracted fans on pilgrimage. It not only successfully established a signature winter festival brand for the harbor city, but also further strengthened Kaohsiung's international image.
Tourism Bureau Director Kao, Min-lin said the event coincided with the Lunar New Year holiday and the 228 Peace Memorial Day long weekend. Together with the visual appeal of the large-scale installations and harbor light displays, it successfully attracted domestic and international visitors. During the Lunar New Year holiday, average hotel occupancy in Kaohsiung reached 80%, with city hotels nearly fully booked. Restaurants, cultural and creative businesses, and market vendors in the commercial areas around Love River Bay, Yancheng, and Pier-2 all saw notable growth, and many businesses reported holiday weekend sales 30% to 50% higher than on ordinary days, showing that the event has become a major winter tourism draw. Beyond the main event site, installations also extended to 60 locations across the city, creating significant spillover effects. In addition, Lunar New Year ridership on the Kaohsiung MRT and Kaohsiung LRT increased from last year. The Kaohsiung MRT carried more than 1.39 million passenger trips over the five-day holiday, including more than 325,000 in a single day on the third day of the Lunar New Year, setting a new record for the highest single-day ridership during the New Year period. The Kaohsiung LRT also reached its single-day peak on the third day of the Lunar New Year, with 99,005 passenger trips, rewriting the system's highest single-day ridership record since full-circle operations began in 2024. These figures clearly demonstrate the tangible economic benefits that large-scale events bring to the city.
Kao noted that the 2026 Kaohsiung Wonderland featured the largest number and widest distribution of IP art installations in the event's history. In terms of curatorial planning, the event incorporated drones and unmanned boats in presentations across land, sea, and air, while also promoting science education, with one surprise highlight after another. It also innovatively integrated AI digital technology and AR smart applications through the Kaohsiung GO! tourism app, which offers guide services in Chinese, English, Japanese, and Korean. Paired with the Ultraman theme, the city's mascot Kaohsiung Bear was transformed into the captain of the "Harbor City Special Search Team," and online activities such as digital stamp collection were launched to actively expand smart tourism. The result was an immersive tourism experience spread across the city and integrating both virtual and physical elements, effectively linking Kaohsiung's mountain, sea, river, and harbor tourism corridors, directing visitor flows to different districts and popular attractions, and boosting local consumption and economic development. In addition, the Kaohsiung LRT, buses, and ferries were transformed into mobile Ultraman-themed art installations. Themed pedestrian traffic lights were installed at intersections around Love River Bay, turning street crossings into IP Easter eggs that drew crowds eager to take photos. Across the entire Kaohsiung MRT system, the card-tap sound was changed to the iconic call of the original Ultraman, "シュワッチ" (Shuwatch), whose Chinese homophonic resemblance to "washing socks" sparked heated discussion online and successfully generated major social media buzz for the event.
Kao said this year's Kaohsiung Wonderland featured the greatest number of installations, including two giant 15-meter realistic Ultraman figures appearing in striking fashion in front of the Wave Towers at the Kaohsiung Music Center and at the Coral Zone Harbor Viewpoint. At the Pier Amusement Park, three large Ultraman-themed art installations were presented: the original Ultraman battling Gomora, chibi-style Zero and Baltan Seijin, and the six Showa brothers. To welcome returning residents and holiday travelers, 2-meter and 5-meter hanging chibi Ultraman figures were installed at THSR Zuoying Station and Kaohsiung Main Station, respectively. The Valentine's Day event "Flash Gathering Call" presented Taiwan's first original CP show featuring Ultraman and Dada, and Zero and Grigio, along with a 10-meter Ultraman art installation. At the same time, an 8-meter inflatable was mounted on a Love Boat and cruised Love River Bay at intervals, displaying a 3-meter flying-pose Ultraman inflatable. In addition, local Kaohsiung airship and drone teams staged aerial performances using 2-meter inflatables and adorable small lanterns, writing a new chapter in lantern festival performances. The rich and exciting content of the 2026 Kaohsiung Wonderland also attracted Kaohsiung-born, U.S.-based renowned comic artist E.J. SU, who took up his pen from overseas to support his hometown by creating artwork that combined this event's themed IP with Kaohsiung Bear, helping promote Kaohsiung to the world.
Kao said emotionally, "Everyone who works hard with dedication and quietly gives selflessly in every urban and rural corner of this city is part of Team Kaohsiung and is an unsung superhero of Kaohsiung!" She thanked all city government teams, public-sector and private-sector partners, and businesses for their contributions, which enabled the 2026 Kaohsiung Wonderland to proceed smoothly and attract large numbers of visitors. She also sincerely thanked residents for their support and for jointly creating cherished historical memories and urban memories for Kaohsiung, showcasing the city's ability and charm in hosting major international-caliber events.
With the successful conclusion of the 2026 Kaohsiung Wonderland, the energy built through cross-sector collaboration among the harbor, the city, and beloved characters will continue to drive upgrades in the tourism industry and bring residents and visitors even richer and more diverse urban festival experiences. For more details, please visit the Kaohsiung Travel website, the official Facebook and Instagram accounts of Kaohsiung Bear, and the official Kaohsiung GO! app.
Tourism Bureau Director Kao, Min-lin said the event coincided with the Lunar New Year holiday and the 228 Peace Memorial Day long weekend. Together with the visual appeal of the large-scale installations and harbor light displays, it successfully attracted domestic and international visitors. During the Lunar New Year holiday, average hotel occupancy in Kaohsiung reached 80%, with city hotels nearly fully booked. Restaurants, cultural and creative businesses, and market vendors in the commercial areas around Love River Bay, Yancheng, and Pier-2 all saw notable growth, and many businesses reported holiday weekend sales 30% to 50% higher than on ordinary days, showing that the event has become a major winter tourism draw. Beyond the main event site, installations also extended to 60 locations across the city, creating significant spillover effects. In addition, Lunar New Year ridership on the Kaohsiung MRT and Kaohsiung LRT increased from last year. The Kaohsiung MRT carried more than 1.39 million passenger trips over the five-day holiday, including more than 325,000 in a single day on the third day of the Lunar New Year, setting a new record for the highest single-day ridership during the New Year period. The Kaohsiung LRT also reached its single-day peak on the third day of the Lunar New Year, with 99,005 passenger trips, rewriting the system's highest single-day ridership record since full-circle operations began in 2024. These figures clearly demonstrate the tangible economic benefits that large-scale events bring to the city.
Kao noted that the 2026 Kaohsiung Wonderland featured the largest number and widest distribution of IP art installations in the event's history. In terms of curatorial planning, the event incorporated drones and unmanned boats in presentations across land, sea, and air, while also promoting science education, with one surprise highlight after another. It also innovatively integrated AI digital technology and AR smart applications through the Kaohsiung GO! tourism app, which offers guide services in Chinese, English, Japanese, and Korean. Paired with the Ultraman theme, the city's mascot Kaohsiung Bear was transformed into the captain of the "Harbor City Special Search Team," and online activities such as digital stamp collection were launched to actively expand smart tourism. The result was an immersive tourism experience spread across the city and integrating both virtual and physical elements, effectively linking Kaohsiung's mountain, sea, river, and harbor tourism corridors, directing visitor flows to different districts and popular attractions, and boosting local consumption and economic development. In addition, the Kaohsiung LRT, buses, and ferries were transformed into mobile Ultraman-themed art installations. Themed pedestrian traffic lights were installed at intersections around Love River Bay, turning street crossings into IP Easter eggs that drew crowds eager to take photos. Across the entire Kaohsiung MRT system, the card-tap sound was changed to the iconic call of the original Ultraman, "シュワッチ" (Shuwatch), whose Chinese homophonic resemblance to "washing socks" sparked heated discussion online and successfully generated major social media buzz for the event.
Kao said this year's Kaohsiung Wonderland featured the greatest number of installations, including two giant 15-meter realistic Ultraman figures appearing in striking fashion in front of the Wave Towers at the Kaohsiung Music Center and at the Coral Zone Harbor Viewpoint. At the Pier Amusement Park, three large Ultraman-themed art installations were presented: the original Ultraman battling Gomora, chibi-style Zero and Baltan Seijin, and the six Showa brothers. To welcome returning residents and holiday travelers, 2-meter and 5-meter hanging chibi Ultraman figures were installed at THSR Zuoying Station and Kaohsiung Main Station, respectively. The Valentine's Day event "Flash Gathering Call" presented Taiwan's first original CP show featuring Ultraman and Dada, and Zero and Grigio, along with a 10-meter Ultraman art installation. At the same time, an 8-meter inflatable was mounted on a Love Boat and cruised Love River Bay at intervals, displaying a 3-meter flying-pose Ultraman inflatable. In addition, local Kaohsiung airship and drone teams staged aerial performances using 2-meter inflatables and adorable small lanterns, writing a new chapter in lantern festival performances. The rich and exciting content of the 2026 Kaohsiung Wonderland also attracted Kaohsiung-born, U.S.-based renowned comic artist E.J. SU, who took up his pen from overseas to support his hometown by creating artwork that combined this event's themed IP with Kaohsiung Bear, helping promote Kaohsiung to the world.
Kao said emotionally, "Everyone who works hard with dedication and quietly gives selflessly in every urban and rural corner of this city is part of Team Kaohsiung and is an unsung superhero of Kaohsiung!" She thanked all city government teams, public-sector and private-sector partners, and businesses for their contributions, which enabled the 2026 Kaohsiung Wonderland to proceed smoothly and attract large numbers of visitors. She also sincerely thanked residents for their support and for jointly creating cherished historical memories and urban memories for Kaohsiung, showcasing the city's ability and charm in hosting major international-caliber events.
With the successful conclusion of the 2026 Kaohsiung Wonderland, the energy built through cross-sector collaboration among the harbor, the city, and beloved characters will continue to drive upgrades in the tourism industry and bring residents and visitors even richer and more diverse urban festival experiences. For more details, please visit the Kaohsiung Travel website, the official Facebook and Instagram accounts of Kaohsiung Bear, and the official Kaohsiung GO! app.
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