This year’s Double Ten National Day fireworks display is to be held in Hualien County to drum up tourism for the county following the Feb. 6 earthquake that severely affected its main industry, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday.
Tsai, who is visiting Hualien, laid out two government initiatives to attract tourists to the county following the magnitude 6.0 earthquake that has led to a large decline in visitors to the tourism-dependent area.
Hualien saw 517,344 people visit its recreation areas in February, down 136,547 from January, county government data showed.
Photo: CNA
More details regarding the fireworks display, the location of which varies from year to year, would come later, Tsai said.
The central government has been subsidizing both the hospitality and tourism industries in the county to help them get back on their feet, while encouraging more Taiwanese to visit by offering them travel incentives.
The “3355” subsidy package was launched on March 6, offering a maximum of NT$500 per person for accommodation. To be eligible, travelers to Hualien have to be in tour groups of three to 19 people and stay for at least two nights at a hotel registered with the program.
The program is to be expanded on April 16, allowing people traveling in pairs who stay for at least two nights from Monday to Thursday in Hualien to receive the NT$500 subsidy as well.
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