Taiwan Excellence Launches ‘IT TRAVELERS GO!’ Contest Offering Free Travel across Asia and US$ 20,000 Grand Prize

Jakarta, July 11, 2011, Bureau of Foreign Trade, Taiwan (BOFT) and Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) today announced the launch of their biggest and most anticipated consumer program of the year, IT Travelers Go!

In a reality tour competition, four Indonesians selected for their creativity and spontaneity will win US$2,500 worth of gadgets from leading Taiwan brands, plus an amazing 21-day, all expenses paid tour of Indonesia, India, Vietnam and Taiwan. Not only do the chosen ones get to travel to exciting destinations, the Indonesian team of four will also compete with similar teams from India and Vietnam to win the team prize of USD 20,000 The competition is open for public registration from today (11 July) through 9 August at www.ITTravelersGo.com.

Sixteen Taiwan leading ICT brands like Acer, ADATA, Apacer, BenQ, D-Link, Genius, HTC, Innergie, Mio, MSI, Optoma, PQI, Thermaltake, Transcend, Trend Micro, ZyXEL have partnered with TAITRA to sponsor the trip and a special kit comprising 20 ICT must-have gadgets for the resourceful traveler.

The Indonesian team will compete for prizes while cooperating as Taiwan Excellence ambassadors with teams from India and Vietnam in a four-nation tour starting with a grand send off for all participants in Jakarta and with stops such as New Delhi and Hanoi. Using the products to send daily updates to friends and followers back home, IT Travelers Go! teams will demonstrate value and reliability of Taiwan IT gadgets and awaken people all over Asia to new IT lifestyle possibilities. The hi-tech lifestyle adventure concludes in Taipei -- the hometown of excellent Taiwan technology -- with final ceremonies and award of the grand prize.

“IT Travelers Go! is part of Taiwan Excellence’s ongoing effort to make technology come to life for consumers. The contest is open to anybody who likes the idea of traveling Asia with exciting gadgets. Taiwan Excellence will make this a memorable travel experience for the participants ” said Country Director of Taiwan Trade and Development Centre James Chen. He added, “IT Travelers Go! campaign is full of unique, exciting and creative possibilities for open-minded people, regardless of age or background, to share their experiences with their friends and families. As a part of the Taiwan Excellence campaign, this program demonstrates our commitment in bringing the best lifestyle technology gadgets closer to Indonesian consumers.”

The first phase, or Wave 1, of the IT Travelers Go! program involves the local selection process. The participation process is really simple. Competition hopefuls should visit www.ITTravelersGo.com to fill their profile together with their photo to register. The registration closes on August 9. Of all participants 45 will be selected who will then have to create videos to showcase their experience and life with Taiwan gadgets. The four finalists will be chosen at an event in Mall Emporium in Pluit, Jakarta on September 25, where judges will narrow down the shortlist to Indonesia’s four most talented, spontaneous IT travelers to represent Indonesia as a traveling team and compete against Vietnam and India.

During Wave 2 -- the Journey -- contestants are provided with leading Taiwan lifestyle technology gadgets that help them capture, upload, and share amazing moments with the online world back in Indonesia, friends and family, and like-minded IT travelers around the world. Viewers will vote on the most creative, entertaining team with winners being awarded a US$20,000 cash prize by Cathy Sharon and the organizer in Taipei, the home run city of this Taiwan Excellence journey.

In Taiwan, IT Travelers will also have the opportunity to visit the manufacturers of favorite Taiwan brands and discuss real-life user experiences with the participating brands.. Chen said, “I am proud and delighted to announce the participation of these brands in the IT Travelers Go! Program. I trust that all contestants nationwide will have a fun and valuable experience throughout with Taiwan Excellence to backup their lifestyle.”

During the last part of the program -- Wave 3 -- all contestants will have their gadgets knowledge tested for three days as home-country IT brand ambassadors. Prizes to be announced also apply to this stage, where the returned travelers will share their experiences with the public.

IT Travelers Go website provides comprehensive information on the competition including contest rules. A blog travel section and regional & local activities are all featured. Log in to become one of the first IT Travelers of Indonesia to register. Please visit www.ITTravelersGo.com., And stay connected with us on our Facebook fanpage http://www.facebook.com/TaiwanExcellence and Twitter account: @TaiwanICT



For more information, contact: IndoPacific Edelman
Kristy Nelwan kristy.nelwan@indopacedelman.com +62 812 2037926
Paulista Surjadi paulista.surjadi@indopacedelman.com +62 816 1493755

TAITRA
TAITRA Jakarta Office jakarta@taitra.org.tw +62 21 5741102





About IT Travelers GO! http://www.ITTravelersGo.com
To continue Taiwan Excellence’s ongoing effort to better consumers’ lives and therefore bring excellent technologies to life via Taiwan Excellence awarded ICT products, in 2011 TAITRA further partnered up with 17 Taiwan brands and initiated the “IT Travelers Go!” campaign as a single regional marketing incident in Indonesia, India, and Vietnam markets. IT Travelers Go! campaign opens an exciting, creative, one of a kind opportunity for open-minded people, regardless of their age and experiences, to re-create their lifestyles with Taiwan Excellence and share their adventurous journey and experiences with their friends and families. The final chosen 12 contestants will be equipped with one armful of IT gadgets worth more than USD$2,500 from leading Taiwan brands, embark a 21-day journey to 4 countries, and a chance to win a grand prize up to USD$20,000 fully sponsored by the organiser.

About Taiwan Excellence
International site: http://www.taiwanexcellence.com.tw India site: http://www.taiwanexcellence.net/ Taiwan Excellence was set up in 1992 by BOFT and TAITRA to encourage Taiwan industries to upgrade and incorporate innovalue into their products. The Award of Taiwan Excellence today is the highest accolade awarded to Taiwan products that encapsulate innovalue. The symbol of Taiwan Excellence heralds Taiwan’s ascent to world-class quality in product innovation, design and manufacturing, representing the highest standards which Taiwan products must meet to maintain its competitive edge in the global markets. In 2010, BOFT entrusted TAITRA to introduce Taiwan Excellence awarded innovative, reliable, and super value ICT products and brands to the rapidly developing countries and bring leading-edge technologies to the markets for excellent lifestyles. In 2011, 30 Taiwan Excellence awarded ICT brands partnered up with TAITRA in Indonesia market.

About Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) http://www.trade.gov.tw
The Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) of Taiwan, which is responsible for implementing policies and regulations governing foreign trade, economic cooperation, and foreign investments. Established in January 1969, BOFT's role and position have undergone continual adjustments to meet the needs of the shifting international economic and trade environment over the past few decades. BOFT has been guiding and working with the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) in numerous trade promotion projects and activities both internationally and domestically. Having worked closely with TAITRA for many decades, BOFT continues to entrust TAITRA with various government projects relating to business trade and/or investments, promoting Taiwan on every international stage.

About TAITRA http://www.taitra.org.tw
Founded in 1970 to help promote foreign trade, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) is the foremost non-profit trade promotion organization in Taiwan. Jointly sponsored by the government, industry associations, and several commercial organizations, TAITRA assists Taiwan businesses and manufacturers with reinforcing their international competitiveness and in coping with the challenges they face in foreign markets. TAITRA boasts a well-coordinated trade promotion and information network of over 800 trained specialists stationed throughout its Taipei headquarters and over 50 overseas branch offices worldwide. Together with its sister organizations, Taiwan Trade Center (TTC) and Taipei World Trade Center (TWTC), TAITRA has created a wealth of trade opportunities through effective promotion strategies.