The Tourism Administration yesterday unveiled subsidies for travel agencies to cater to the elderly and those with mental or physical disabilities engaged in domestic travel, starting next year.
The subsidies are to be doled out to travel agencies by headcount, with sums of up to NT$15,000 for tour groups with older people and NT$50,000 for groups with those who are physically impaired, tourism officials said.
The measures are designed to encourage the industry to be more accommodating for older people and those with disabilities, with related efforts in these categories being allotted NT$5 million (US$162,771) each, they said.
Photo courtesy of the Penghu National Scenic Administration via CNA
The Tourism Administration would take special steps to subsidize sign-language interpreters for deaf travelers, the officials said.
Agencies creating one-day tour groups of three or more travelers with mental or physical impairments are to receive a subsidy of NT$1,200 per person and NT$300 for each accessibility helper, they said.
Groups for tours of two days or more would receive NT$1,500 per traveler with a disability and NT$500 per helper, the officials said.
If two or more tour group members have hearing or speech impediments, the agency would receive a sign-language interpreter subsidy of up to NT$2,000 per day, they said.
If a tour group is larger than six people and more than half of its members are elderly, then the agency would receive NT$500 for each elderly traveler, up to NT$15,000, they said.
These tours must be of at least two days and one night in duration, but two rest days must be arranged for every four days of active touring, officials said.
Separately, a lottery for NT$50,000 of tourism vouchers is to be held for Taiwanese who visited one of the 24 venues highlighted in last year’s Tourism Spotlight awards and took a selfie at the location, they said.
People interested in taking part in the lottery should submit their photograph on the Line app, the officials said, adding that prizes and vouchers worth a total of NT$500,000 are available.
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