More than 100 Taiwanese tourists stranded overseas due to canceled flights

超過100名台灣遊客因航班取消而滯留海外

Many countries in Europe, Latin America, Africa have closed borders to prevent virus spread


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — More than 100 Taiwanese tourists have been stranded overseas due to canceled flights across Latin America and Africa as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic sweeps across the world, forcing governments to close borders and restrict public transportation systems.

Alexander Yui (俞大㵢), a senior foreign ministry official handling Latin American affairs, said on Tuesday morning (March 17) that as many as 122 Taiwanese tourists were stranded in Peru after the Peruvian government announced a 15-day state of emergency, imposing border control measures and restricting air travel accordingly.

They are members of the 14 tourist groups currently stuck in the South American nation and will not be able to return home until the restriction is lifted, according to Taiwan’s Representative Office in Peru, which said it is offering assistance to the stranded Taiwanese nationals.

Meanwhile, a tour group comprising eight Taiwanese is also held up in Argentina. Taiwan’s representative office there is providing necessary assistance, but the group is unable to leave the country for the moment due to similar border control measures by the Argentine government.

Yu said tourist groups from other parts of the world are experiencing similar situations in Latin America and the Caribbean. He advised Taiwanese to avoid traveling to these regions for the time being.

In North Africa, eight Taiwanese tourist groups are also reportedly stranded in Morocco as the country closed its border to prevent the further spread of the infectious disease. Ger Baushuan (葛葆萱), a senior foreign ministry official said in the afternoon that the ministry has taken heed of the situation and is offering necessary help to the Taiwanese there.

With the more than a dozen recent cases of the coronavirus in Taiwan all being imported ones, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said the Central Epidemic Command Center is considering imposing a national ban on foreign travel by Taiwanese students and teachers from the elementary to senior high school levels. However, critics have questioned the legitimacy of the proposal, expressing concern that such policy may violate the constitution.

In addition, the command center has decided to cancel subsidies for those who insist on traveling to countries already listed by authorities as areas heavily impacted by the coronavirus, even if they have to undergo 14-day home quarantine after returning home.