Consumers spending again ...

Taiwanese ventured out of a SARS-induced hibernation over the weekend, spurred on by a government announcement that the deadly virus may finally be under control.

Pedestrian traffic has been up markedly at shopping malls, restaurants and movie theaters over the past few days and travel agents are reporting a flurry of bookings from consumers keen on reviving shelved travel plans.

"This is the first time in the last six weeks we have visited a department store," said Tina Chung (鍾婷芸), a 32-year-old mother of two, dining at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Department Store's (新光三越) food court near the Taipei railway station yesterday.

"The kids and I have been sick and tired of staying at home all day ... we needed to get out for a break," she said.

Consumers' concerns over SARS also eased after media reported that the rate of new SARS cases dropped last week.

"We saw a significant increase in traffic over the weekend," said Lee Kuang-rong (李光榮), vice president of Pacific Sogo Department Store (太平洋崇光百貨), which was forced to close for two days in early May for disinfection after two shoppers and a cashier reportedly came down with SARS symptoms.

Shoppers returned to Sogo en masse after the department store reopened, with traffic continuing to rebound to nearly 100,000 visitors per day over the weekend.

But the company has no plans to ease its strict SARS prevention procedures, including requiring all staff to wear masks and customers to have their temperatures checked at the door.

"We won't cancel these procedures until SARS is no longer a threat to Taiwan," Lee said.

The positive news, if warranted, could cushion the blow of nearly seven weeks of lethargic sales at Taiwanese consumer-dependent businesses after the disease spread following the closure of Taipei Municipal Hoping Hospital on April 24.

Out on the town

Consumers since then have been slowly venturing back to their favorite watering holes and eateries.

All five of Taipei's Tasty restaurants (西堤牛排) have seen a surge in customers after Lee Ming-liang (李明亮), head of the Cabinet's SARS prevention committee, urged residents on May 24 to return to their normal lives because it appeared the battle against the epidemic was being won.

"Our five restaurants have been packed since last week after the government announcement," said Simon Kao (高端訓), Tasty's assistant manager.

Taiwanese restaurant chain Shin Yeh (欣葉) and the US' TGI Friday's Taiwan are also reporting an uptick in restaurant patrons in recent days.

Shin Yeh saw 30 percent more tables full last week compared to the previous month, said deputy marketing manager Erica Chen (陳臆如), while TGI Friday's Taiwan enjoyed a more than 10 percent sales increase every week over the past two weeks, according to the restaurant's marketing manager, Sophie Cheng (周雅敏).

In late April, a Ministry of Economic Affairs report predicted that the restaurant sector would be hardest hit by the disease outbreak, with sales down by more than 20 percent in the current quarter.

Night owls are also coming out of the woodwork to liven up Taipei's all-night club scene.

"With SARS fears seeming to ease a bit, business rose by 10 percent last weekend," said Andy Chuang (莊起鳴), president of Brown Sugar, a jazz club near Warner Village.

Taipei's Plush disco said more than business was up more than two-thirds on Saturday after falling being 50 percent down the previous weekend.