The General Chamber of Commerce (全國商業總會) yesterday urged the government to expand relief funds for more companies affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The government should lower the thresholds for businesses to qualify for relief funds, as many continue to struggle,” chamber chairman Lai Cheng-i (賴正鎰) told a news conference in Taipei.
Many hotels, restaurants and recreational facilities benefited from a boom in domestic tourism over the summer, which was helped by the government’s Triple Stimulus Vouchers, Lai said.
Photo: CNA
However, the recovery lost considerable momentum after the summer vacation came to an end, with border controls still in place and the potential for a second wave of COVID-19 infections, Lai said, adding that disease experts have warned that the number of infections might rise as winter approaches.
The government should expand the number of recipients for relief funds, as they are limited mainly to hotels and travel agencies with a heavy reliance on foreign tourist arrivals, while many more are suffering, Lai said.
Gift shops have lost 80 percent of their business, pet accommodation facilities have lost 90 percent, photography studios 60 percent and wedding planners 70 percent, Lai said.
The government should include them in the subsidy program until it lifts border controls and 14-day quarantine requirements, Lai said.
In its upcoming session, the legislature is to review the Cabinet’s proposal to extend the relief program, which expired in June.
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