Summer vacation is the peak tourist season for Pingtung County. In response to the decline in domestic tourism due to the opening of international travel, the county government launched the “1000 NTD Stay Subsidy” project starting from August 1st, when more than half of the summer vacation has passed. With a quota of 10,000 rooms, the program has seen nearly 80% of the quota applied for within just two weeks.
The “Promotion Scheme for Foreign Tourists to Visit Pingtung” with additional benefits has also seen 10 tour groups registered, boosting occupancy by almost 20%. While operators acknowledge the positive impact of these monetary subsidies, they also express that the long-term solution they seek is the reopening of inbound tourist groups.
Starting on August 1st, the “Explore Pingtung, Thousand Yuan Stay” program is launched with a limited quota of 10,000 rooms. This subsidy is targeted towards independent travelers during weekdays (Sunday to Thursday). For hotels and homestays, the subsidy is split with a contribution of 500 NTD from both the accommodation provider and the county government.
Additionally, for group travel, the “Promotion Scheme for Foreign Tourists to Visit Pingtung” offers a subsidy of 500 NTD per person for groups of at least 20 people. To qualify, the group must use legal transportation and stay at a legal accommodation in Pingtung County for at least one night. Each group can receive a maximum subsidy of 10,000 NTD. So far, 10 groups have registered and used this scheme.
The County Government’s Tourism Bureau stated that the “Thousand Yuan Stay” program, open for just two weeks, has received applications from nearly 80% of the quota. The response rate has exceeded expectations. As the program enters the seventh month of the lunar calendar, the occupancy rate is anticipated to decline slightly.
Based on past experiences, the 10,000 available slots combined with the “Promotion Scheme for Foreign Tourists to Visit Pingtung” could bring in substantial economic benefits of over a hundred million NTD. The public is reminded to expedite their applications as successful registrants become members and have the chance to participate in a lottery with prizes, including GOGORO electric scooters, well-known brand home appliances, and vouchers from renowned retail chains.
The “Thousand Yuan Stay” program has boosted hotel occupancy by nearly 20%, which is greatly appreciated by lodging operators in Pingtung.
However, on the 10th of this month, China announced the third batch of travel agencies eligible to operate “flight + hotel” businesses for Chinese citizens traveling to certain countries and regions. Taiwan was not included in the list, leaving operators disappointed.
A director of a five-star hotel in Kenting candidly expressed that due to the impact of the pandemic, every lodging establishment in Kenting has experienced a significant drop in revenue. While the official subsidies have brought some improvement, relying solely on monetary assistance is not a sustainable solution.
Since February 20th this year, independent travel for visitors from Hong Kong and Macau has been allowed, but mainland Chinese tourists are the real key players. The government is hoped not to be fixated on ideological issues and can recreate the prosperity brought by mainland Chinese tourists’ spending.
A lodging operator surnamed Liu in Kenting mentioned that independent young mainland Chinese travelers prefer staying in local accommodations to experience Taiwanese hospitality and diverse architectural styles. The combined impact of mainland Chinese tourists’ absence due to various reasons, including election cycles and the pandemic, has been alleviated to some extent by official subsidies.
However, it’s common for mainland tourists to avoid traveling during Taiwan’s elections, and businesses must constantly work to manage both domestic and international markets. While tourism industry professionals may hold varying political views, they all hope that the government can balance sovereignty concerns with extending goodwill to mainland China. Opening up to independent mainland tourists could lead to an internal struggle for businesses between pragmatic interests and ideological principles as the upcoming general elections draw near.