The Executive Yuan yesterday unveiled a stimulus package of vouchers and subsidies to revive tourism in Hualien County following a quake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale.
The tremor on April 3, which killed at least 17 people and left two others missing, caused the county an estimated NT$3 billion (US$92.7 million) in damages.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs is to issue vouchers worth NT$200 at the price of NT$100 for purchases at the Dongdamen Night Market (東大門夜市) in Hualien City to boost spending, a ministry official told a news conference after a Cabinet meeting in Taipei.
Photo courtesy of the Hualien County Government
The ministry plans to issue 18,400 vouchers that would be valid from next month to July, the official said.
Another voucher redeemable at the night market worth NT$100 would be given to tourists staying in Hualien for three days or more, the official said, adding that it would be valid through August.
The ministry is to provide a NT$2 million subsidy to promote stricken tourism hotspots before the summer vacation period, the official said.
An advertisement campaign would promote the city’s Old Street, Stone Art Avenue and Singsiang Shopping District (形象商圈), and Liyutan Reservoir (鯉魚潭水庫) scenic area, the official said.
The Tourism Administration is in the process of designing several measures to stimulate the hospitality industry in Hulien County, Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Yen-po (陳彥伯) said.
The measures include subsidies for hotels to house people who were left homeless by the earthquake, a financing scheme for the industry, incentives to promote tourism and airfare subsidies for foreign visitors, Chen said.
There would be perks for Taiwan Railway Corp’s Taiwan Pass users traveling to Hualien, Chen said.
The measures are being designed with input from local businesses and would be presented to the Executive Yuan upon their completion, Chen said, adding that details about the policy would be announced later.
Hualien’s hotels have reported an occupancy rate of 10 percent, down from 30 percent just before the quake, a tourism official said.
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