Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
Chang made the remarks during an opening address at the Taipei International Travel Fair 2007.
He said that the Cabinet had designated 2008 and 2009 the "Tour Taiwan Years" during which the government would take various measures to attract more international visitors to make Taiwan a major travel destination in Asia.
For example, the government will offer NT$100,000 in free credit to the 1 millionth visitor, NT$200,000 to the 2 millionth visitor, NT$300,000 to the 3 millionth visitor and NT$400,000 to the 4 millionth visitor, he said.
The government will also provide a US$30,000 bonus to any cruiseliner with at least 2,000 passengers that makes a mid-journey stop in Taiwan and lower the threshold to make Taiwan-bound charter flights eligible for government subsidies, Chang said.
Tourism Bureau officials said that subsidies are currently given to round-trip charter flights carrying at least 100 passengers, but the passenger threshold would be lowered to 50 next year.
One-way charter flights will also be subsidized, they said.
The nation sees approximately 15,000 visitors arrive via charter flights per year, with Japanese charter flights accounting for the largest number of arrivals, the officials said.
To encourage more South Korean nationals to visit Taiwan, the government will also increase the subsidies for South Korean charter flights next year, they said.
Subsidies for charter flights heading for Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport or Kaohsiung International Airport will be raised from 5 million won (US$5,380) to 6.25 million won, while those heading for other Taiwanese airports will be raised from 6.25 million won to 7.5 million won, they said.
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