The measures are aimed at attracting more visitors from key markets, including the US.
Amid an increase in travel following the easing of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, countries are doing all they can to encourage visitors to come and boost their economies. The latest is Taiwan, which is planning to offer 500,000 tourists a cash or discount incentive this year to vacation there. According to CNN, with its incentive, Taiwan is aiming to welcome six million tourists this year.
Taiwan's Premier Chen Chien-jen on Thursday announced that the government aims to attract six million tourists in 2023, doubling that figure in 2024 and aiming for 10 million visitors by 2025. As per the outlet, the government will give handouts of NT$5,000 ($165) to 500,000 individual tourists, and allowances of up to NT$20,000 ($658) to 90,000 tour groups.
The money will be delivered digitally and tourists will be able to use it to cover their costs in Taiwan, including for accommodation, Taiwan's Transport Minister Wang Kuo-tsai stated on Wednesday. He also added that the measures are aimed at attracting more visitors from key markets including, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Macao, as well as Europe and America.
Also Read | Chinese Provinces Are Giving Newlyweds Paid Marriage Leave. Here's Why
CNN reported that Taiwan saw under 900,000 inbound visitors last year. Visitors from Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan and the United States were among the largest groups. Notably, Taiwan lifted its border restrictions in October 2022, and was one of the last countries to do so after the pandemic.
Meanwhile, in order to boost its Covid-hit tourism industry, earlier this month, Hong Kong also announced that it is giving away 500,000 airline tickets to global visitors. As per Euronews, the tickets will be released in stages from March and will be available to Europeans from May onwards.
Last year, speaking to the BBC, Dang Cheng, executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, said that the free tickets, which were bought during the pandemic, will be distributed next year to inbound and outbound travellers by the city's airport authority.