A buy-one, get-one-free offer on transit passes for Taiwan Railway Corp trains to the east coast would be available from Monday to boost tourism, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday.
It is one of several promotional schemes the ministry plans to launch next month — Taiwan’s peak tourism season — to help revive travel to the east coast.
Only 3,500 Taiwan Pass cards would be available under the buy-one, get-one-free promotion, which runs through Sept. 30, the ministry said, adding that they would be valid until the end of November.
Photo: CNA
The destinations would be limited to Yilan, Hualien and Taitung counties, the ministry said.
The pass would cost NT$2,800 and features preferential offers expected to stimulate the economy on the east coast, it said.
To encourage group tours to Taitung, the ministry said it would provide a maximum subsidy of NT$15,000 for each approved tour group staying in the county from Monday to Sept. 30, with a limit of two groups per travel agency, the ministry said.
It said it would also provide subsidies for overseas charter flights destined for Hualien and Taitung from next month through the end of December.
It would offer NT$420,000 per flight from Japan, NT$360,000 for flights from South Korea and Southeast Asian countries, excluding the Philippines, and NT$305,000 for flights from Hong Kong, Macau, China and certain other “tourist-generating” countries, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, travelers in Yilan can ride four Taiwan Tourist Shuttle routes free of charge when using an electronic ticket or mobile payment, and enjoy an 80 percent discount on tickets for the 12 package tour routes operated by Taiwan Tour Bus, starting next month, it said.
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