The government is seeking to increase quarantine hotel capacity as about 40,000 Taiwanese living overseas are expected to return for the Lunar New Year holiday next year, Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) told the legislature’s Transportation Committee yesterday.
As the holiday begins on Jan. 31, the majority of returnees is expected to arrive from Jan. 1 to 16, which would allow them to finish their 14-day quarantines mandated by the Central Epidemic Command Center’s (CECC) ahead of the Lunar New Year, Wang said.
There are about 26,000 rooms in quarantine hotels, Wang said, citing Tourism Bureau data.
Photo: Wang Jung-hsiang, Taipei Times
Surveys indicate that the number might rise to 31,000 before the holiday, he added.
In expectation of the strain on quarantine hotels, the CECC has updated its requirements and would allow returnees to quarantine in a designated hotel for 10 days and another four days at home, he said.
The new policy would allow hotels to house three groups of travelers per month, instead of two under the 14-day requirement, Wang said.
Travelers are advised to take the issue into account and plan their trip accordingly, he said, adding that they should double-check whether their quarantine hotel reservations have been confirmed.
The Civil Aeronautics Administration would ask airlines to assist travelers who wish to return home early change their tickets, Wang said.
The government could assign additional hotels with the task to host travelers during their quarantine if a shortage occurs, Wang said, adding that the government would subsidize operators of the tasked hotels.
Hotels hosting travelers during their quarantine would not be open to any other people during the holiday, he said.
Airlines would also be asked to offer additional flights to serve Taiwanese returning home for the holiday, Wang said, adding that the Directorate-General of Highways would ensure that there would be enough disease prevention taxis at airports to transport every incoming traveler to their quarantine hotel.
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