MOTC rolls out NT$1,000 travel subsidies for Hualien post-quake recovery

Taipei, May 2 (CNA) Travelers going on self-guided tours to Hualien and Taitung counties can receive accommodation subsidies of up to NT$1,000 (US$31), Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) announced Thursday.

In a statement detailing plans to boost tourism to post-quake Hualien County, after a magnitude 7.2 temblor on April 3, the MOTC said it has allocated NT$5.3 billion to post-quake recovery and reconstruction work, including at least NT$1.3 billion to revitalize the tourism industry.

As part of the tourism recovery plan, travelers on self-guided tours can receive accommodation subsidies of NT$1,000 per room if they travel to Hualien from Monday to Thursday, and NT$500 per room if their trip falls on Friday and weekends.

The MOTC added that travelers on self-guided tours to Taitung will also be eligible for the subsidies, and can get NT$1,000 per room if they check-in to their accommodation from Monday to Thursday.

Tour groups

In addition, travel agencies running group tours can receive accommodation subsidies of up to NT$20,000 for each group that visits Hualien and NT$15,000 for Taitung.

To be eligible for the subsidies, each tour group should have over 20 travelers, and visit for a minimum of two days with one overnight stay, while there can only be one weekend day or national holiday included in the travel period, the MOTC said.

It added that each travel agency can apply for subsidies for up to five tour groups for the duration of the program.

Such subsidies will start on July 1 and be in effect for three months.

Other subsidies or discounts include one person travels for free when two people travel together using Taiwan Pass, a domestic travel pass that includes unlimited journeys on trains, metros, sightseeing shuttles and more.

This will go into effect on July 1, the MOTC said.

In addition, starting from June 1, travelers can travel for free on Taiwan Tourist Shuttle services that run in Hualien and Taitung, and enjoy an 80 percent discount on tours partnering with Taiwan Tour Bus in those areas.

As of press time, the MOTC has not disclosed information on how long these discounts will be effective.

Meanwhile, to encourage foreign visitors to visit Hualien through chartered flights, flights with at least 50 passengers will also be eligible for travel subsidies, at three different amounts of NT$300,000, NT$350,000, and NT$400,000.

This also takes effect on July 1 but the MOTC did not detail how the program would operate.