The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is to launch five subsidy programs next year to encourage weekday domestic tourism.
The programs are to include a birthday accommodation grant and a weekday accommodation scheme, Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) told reporters yesterday.
The subsidy programs aim to encourage weekday travel and birthday trips, with incentives extending to employee tours organized by domestic and foreign companies, he said.
Photo: Tsai Yun-rong, Taipei Times
The weekday accommodation scheme would issue vouchers for Sunday to Thursday stays, allowing up to two nights per person at NT$2,000 (US$64.35) with NT$800 deducted for the first night and NT$1,200 for a consecutive second night.
The birthday accommodation scheme would randomly select 1,000 citizens monthly for NT$1,200 in subsidies.
The theme park staycation program would offer free entry the following day to any of the 26 major amusement parks nationwide for those submitting a valid accommodation invoice from Monday to Thursday, excluding national holidays.
The corporate employee domestic tour incentive would allow travel agencies to organize groups of 30 or more employees for at least a two-day, one-night itinerary, with no more than one day on a weekend or holiday.
Each agency can apply for marketing grants of NT$10,000 per tour for up to 10 groups, while companies can apply for a NT$20,000 subsidy per tour group.
The Taiwan Pass weekday domestic travel discount program would provide a 40 percent discount from Sunday to Thursday, with prices set at NT$1,000, a 60 percent reduction from the original price, or a NT$1,500 accommodation voucher per room per night, both limited to 20,000 vouchers.
Chen expressed hopes that the programs could be launched early next year, pending approval of the budget by the Legislative Yuan.
The disparity in traveler numbers between peak and off-peak periods is significant, with weekday room rates being affordable, but visitor numbers remaining low, he said.
Responding to public complaints that domestic travel is expensive and “collapsing,” he said that trip volumes have grown significantly over the past few years.
The nation saw 220 million domestic trips last year, up from 206 million in 2023, he said, adding that he expects a new high this year.
New hotels are opening one after another in Taipei, including five-star brands, signaling market demand, he added.
The subsidy program, with a total budget of more than NT$2 billion, aims to strengthen the tourism sector and help the industry advance toward a trillion-dollar industry goal, he said.
He also announced plans to attract flagship events to Taiwan to draw foreign visitors, with a goal of reaching 10 million annual international arrivals.
International arrivals, excluding Chinese visitors, stood at 9.15 million in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.
The nation saw 7.85 million inbound tourists last year, up from 6.48 million in 2023. A full-year increase of several hundred thousand is expected this year, with 6.8 million visitors during the first 10 months.
Noting the massive economic benefits of international concerts, Chen said the first-year target is to host two to three groups of top-tier artists, award ceremonies or exhibitions.
The ministry plans to roll out subsidies or promote cooperation with travel agencies.
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