Taiwan shifts hotel subsidies for tourism stimulus to July 15

台灣將旅遊振興旅館補貼更至7月15日

The subsidies were originally set by Tourism Bureau to start from September 1


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taiwanese government has decided to move the start of hotel stay subsidies to July 15 to give a boost to the country’s COVID-struck tourism industry, Tourism Bureau Director-General Chang Shi-chung (張錫聰) said on Wednesday (June 1).

The bureau has secured a NT$5.5 billion (US$204 million) budget to offer hotel stay subsidies of up to NT$1,300 per night per room for individual tourists. The subsidies were originally set to start from September 1.

However, at a meeting on Wednesday, the country’s tourism industry called on Chang to expedite the offering of the financial incentives to July 15 to capitalize on the busy summer travel season, and the bureau chief agreed, CNA reported.

After the meeting, Chang announced that the subsidies will start from July 15 and last until Dec. 15, urging the public to take advantage as soon as possible because the deals will stop when the budget is used up.

According to Chang, individual tourists will be given a subsidy of NT$800 per night for staying at a hotel or a bed and breakfast (B&B) on weekdays (Sunday-Thursday), and the subsidy will go up to NT$1,300 per night if they stay at a bike-friendly hotel, a star-rated hotel, a “green hotel," and Taiwan Host B&B, or the guests have taken three doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

Each tour group will be given a NT$20,000 subsidy, which will go up to NT$30,000 if the tour itinerary includes at least two of seven designated activities, including cycling trips on any of 16 designated bikeways, visits to "national greenways," a trip of at least three days and two nights, and staying at a star-rated hotel, the bureau chief said.

He added that details of the hotel stay subsidies will be announced in mid-June, per CNA.