Movie theaters, sports centers, gyms, scenic spots and amusement parks across Taiwan reopened after two months yesterday as some COVID-19 restrictions were eased, but crowds generally stayed away.
The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) last week extended a nationwide level 3 COVID-19 alert to July 26, but said that some restrictions would be eased, including the reopening of movie theaters, gyms, sports centers, cultural facilities, national scenic areas and amusement parks, although with limited capacity to maintain social distancing.
However, most of the affected venues drew few people yesterday.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
Vieshow Cinema, the largest movie theater chain in Taiwan, said that few people bought tickets, although it attributed the low attendance to it being a weekday.
Moreover, Taoyuan and New Taipei City did not allow movie theaters to open.
Even if theaters are allowed to open, eating and drinking are not allowed, while seating restrictions are being enforced.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
Sales were expected to improve today, with the first showings of Marvel’s Black Widow, Vieshow said.
New Taipei City and Taoyuan were also the only two of the six special municipalities that maintained bans on gyms and sports centers reopening.
However, publicly run sports centers in Taipei began to open at 5am yesterday, said Lee Jung-chin (李榮晉), director of the Taipei Department of Sports’ sports industry division, adding that most private gyms in Taipei reopened to members early yesterday.
In Taichung, movie theaters and gyms reopened, although attendance was sparse.
Gyms and movie theater operators said that they expected more people in the next few days once people got used to the changes.
The Tainan City Government said that only one of the 13 movie theaters there opened, with others waiting until today or later this month to see if the central government lifts the nationwide alert.
In Kaohsiung, 30, 18 and 62 people were at the Chungcheng Stadium, the Sanmin Tennis Courts and the Chungshan Tennis Courts respectively as of 10am, the city government said.
The Taipei Zoo and Taipei Children’s Amusement Park remained closed.
Few people visited reopened scenic spots in New Taipei City.
City authorities said that the sites are limited to 40 percent of their normal capacity and no eating is allowed.
They pledged to close them if too many people show up at once.
Taoyuan’s Shihmen Reservoir (石門水庫), a major tourism site, was one of the few well-attended spots.
Three of Taiwan’s biggest amusement parks — Janfusun Fancyworld in Yunlin County, Lihpao Discovery Land in Taichung and Farglory Ocean Park in Hualien — said that about 100 visitors had entered each of their reopened parks as of noon.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
RSS