Matsu helicopter levy on tourists stirs up complaints

There is no discount offered on helicopter rides for tourists visiting the outlying island of Matsu because the county's helicopter transport service is designed to help carry local residents rather than tourists, according to a spokesman for the Lienchiang County Government.

Liu Teh-chuan (劉德全), head of the transportation bureau under the county government, said that local residents will receive a financial subsidy when traveling by helicopter between Matsu's various islets. But non-residents are not entitled to the discount, he added.

Liu the remarks over the weekend in response to complaints by tourists over a new rule that requires non-residents of Matsu to pay NT$3,000 (US$91.74 ) for a one-way trip by helicopter between Nankan and Tungying (東引) and NT$2,000 for a one-way trip between Nankan (南竿) and Lukuang (莒光).

residents

However, Matsu residents only have to pay NT$1,200 and NT$800, as in the past.

Tourists Matsu have complained that the new measure will increase the financial burden on them, thus indirectly affecting local tourist development in a negative way.

According to Liu, the helicopters are not regular transport tools for local Matsu residents. Rather, they are mainly used to perform emergency medical assistance missions on the islets, he said.

transport

To take full advantage of the helicopters, the Lienchiang County Government also uses them as a means of transport for local residents on remote islets, he added.

As it costs the county about NT$50,000 to dispatch a helicopter to conduct a round trip between two destinations -- a service which runs at a financial loss even when the helicopter is full of passengers. -- "it is only natural that non-residents pay the full fare to avoid adding to the county government's financial deficit," he said.

He suggested that visitors to Matsu use the ferry service that is in place among Matsu's several islets.