To accelerate the recovery of the tourism sector in Taitung, the East Coast National Scenic Area Administration will subsidize cycle tours in the area, the Tourism Bureau said yesterday.
“The flooding after Typhoon Morakot did not do too much damage to Taitung’s scenic areas,” said Yang Wen-ta (楊文達), president of the Taitung Tourism Association.
Alhough the six-story Jinshuai Hotel (金帥飯店) toppled into a river and nearby stores were washed away, other hot spring hotels in the worst-hit areas of Taitung have resumed operations, he said.
Taitung’s hotel industry, however, has suffered from low occupancy since the flooding, he said.
The bureau is cooperating with two local travel agencies to promote several ecotourism packages, including bicycle holidays on Green Island, by offering subsidies of NT$500 per person until Nov. 30.
The East Coast National Scenic Area Administration will also host a cycling event in conjunction with a leading Taiwanese bicycle manufacturer.
Participants will tie yellow ribbons to their bikes, pedal down the east coast of Taiwan and pray for the people of Taitung, officials said.
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