The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is to introduce on July 15 a NT$5.5 billion (US$187.9 million) stimulus program for the travel industry, which has sustained massive losses since the nation’s borders were closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) yesterday met with travel agencies, hoteliers, amusement park operators and tour bus operators to discuss how the stimulus funds should be used to support the tourism industry.
Details of the program are to be finalized on Friday next week.
Travel Agent Association chairman Hsiao Po-jen (蕭博仁) told reporters after the meeting that participants
TRAVEL SUBSIDIES: The transport ministry agreed to move the schedule from September to July due to urgent pleas from the tourism sector for aidBy Shelley Shan / Staff reporter
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications has secured NT$6 billion (US$203.36 million) to support the tourism industry and bus operators, whose businesses have been disrupted by the COVID-19 situation in Taiwan, Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) told lawmakers at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee in Taipei yesterday.
Lawmakers asked Wang when Taiwan’s borders would reopen to tourists, as Singapore, Thailand and South Korea have lifted quarantine requirements for people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Singapore and Thailand have even allowed people to board flights without a negative polymerase chain reaction test result, they said.
Japan is planning
The Executive Yuan yesterday said it is seeking approval from the Legislative Yuan to extend the Special Act for Prevention, Relief and Revitalization Measures for Severe Pneumonia with Novel Pathogens (嚴重特殊傳染性肺炎防治及紓困振興特別條例規定) to June 30 next year, given the fast-changing COVID-19 situation at home and abroad.
While Article 19 of the act says that it is to expire on June 30, Article 2 says it can be extended with the legislature’s approval, Executive Yuan spokesman Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成) said.
“It is necessary for the government to continue implementing disease prevention measures and ensure that Taiwan has sufficient medical resources and healthcare personnel, as
Domestic travel vouchers issued by the Tourism Bureau would expire at the end of this month as planned and the budget for unused vouchers would be used to subsidize travel agencies that organize creative group tours, Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) said yesterday.
In addition to the Quintuple Stimulus Vouchers that were distributed by the Executive Yuan in October last year, other government agencies issued a total of 13 million secondary vouchers, which were distributed through free draws, to boost growth in different sectors.
The bureau issued 2.4 million domestic travel vouchers, with each voucher having a face