Ministry of Transportation plans subsidies for hospitality workers in Taiwan

交通部計劃對台灣的接待人員提供補貼

Taiwan government to come to aid of tourism industry, subsidize salaries of 140,000 workers


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — To ease the impact of the coronavirus on Taiwan's tourism industry, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) is planning to give subsidies to 140,000 of the country's hospitality workers.

According to CNA, the MOTC has asked the central government for an NT$10 billion (US$331 million) budget to keep businesses in the hospitality industry afloat both during and after the outbreak. Part of the budget was granted by the Cabinet on Tuesday (March 24), while the rest is currently under review.

The project was first announced on March 9 by Transportation Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and has since been amended. The MOTC said the project will mainly focus on providing funds to stabilize travel agencies and small and medium hotels.

The project, which is expected to roll out in April, will supplement the salaries of approximately 140,000 hospitality workers, many of whom have been forced to take unpaid leave due to the pandemic. Each will receive NT$10,000 (US$330) per month for three months.

The MOTC said the project will also supply NT$100,000 (US$3,300) in monthly relief funds to travel agencies and NT$200,000 to tourist hotels for three months. It added that the government is also investing NT$2 billion (US$66 million) to recruit and train tour guides, reported New Talk.