Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin attended an award ceremony and exhibition for popular tradition market souvenirs on May 29 – one of the events associated with the 2010 Taipei City Traditional Market Festival.
He presented awards to the representatives of stores winning the categories of “Outstanding Souvenirs” and “World’s Best Booth”. These winners were selected through online voting organized by the Taipei City Market Administration Office (MAO).
Following the award ceremony, the mayor visited a number of booths at the one-day market and greeted the vendors. He also served as the spokesperson for the festival, showcasing snacks from the merchants and tasting the treats before the reporters.
Hau pointed out that traditional markets across the city have undergone refurbishments in the past few years. The signs of change are evident from the beautified appearance of the buildings, the modernized interior facilities, and clean public restrooms.
Due to the upgrading of shopping environment, more and more residents are willing to spend their leisure time at traditional markets. The renovation plans have created a new and unique culture evolving around these marketplaces.
The mayor thanked the members from both the public and private sectors for their involvement with revitalizing traditional markets. He also attributed the success to the collaboration among Department of Economic Development, MAO, market vendors, and officials from market self-governing organizations.