Tourism industry suffers from bus fire incident / 火燒車重創民眾信心 遊覽車業者請命　　　　　　　　　　

The deadly bus fire incident has taken its toll on the tourism industry in Taiwan. The National Joint Association of Tourist Buses said, business for bus operators have been reduced by 70% since March, resulting in a total loss of 3.6 billion NT Dollars in 6 months. Market value for the tourism industry is estimated to be down by 40 billion NT Dollars. The tour bus industry called on the government to set up clear standards for emergency exits and equipment to prevent more accidents in the future. Leaders of bus industry associations across Taiwan came together to defend the tour bus industry. There have been many speculations surrounding the possible causes of the fatal bus fire accident, for instance, an electrical fire or the body-on-frame design of the bus. However, the National Joint Association of Tourist Buses said that bus bodies built in Taiwan are safe since they're made by government- certified manufacturers. ==ALEX LU, Chairman, National Joint Association of Tourist Buses== Taiwan lacks the capability to design and produce chassis. That is why we cannot make unibody buses in Taiwan and have to import chassis and then build the bus bodies in Taiwan. Some people are saying that Taiwan should import unibody buses to ensure safety. However, The National Joint Association said that buses in Taiwan are required to have 8 emergency exits, so even imported buses will have to be modified. The bus industry called on the MOTC to have clear standards and regulations in place for electricity standards, fire extinguishers, emergency hammers and exits, so that tourists can respond swiftly in case of emergency. Taiwan's tourism industry cannot take another hit. ==CHANG CHIH-PEN, Chairman, Taichung Tour Buses Association== Every day we lose NT$20 million. That's a NT$600 million loss in revenue per month, without considering other costs such as hotel food, etc. In other words, a NT$ 3.6 billion loss in 6 months. The National Joint Association of Tourist Buses said that drinking fountains or other electrical appliances are not to blame. The government should have a comprehensive law in place, and the industry also has to regulate itself in order to ensure road safety for tour buses in Taiwan. TRANSLATED BY：CHRISTINA LIU 全國遊覽車公會理事長們，一字排開，要為遊覽車業的生計來請命。陸客團火燒車事件，肇事原因眾說紛紜，外界猜測是電線走火，釀成火災。更有人認為，遊覽車是拼裝車，才是肇事主因。不過公會團體強調，目前台灣自行打造的車體，都是經由經濟部認證的車廠打造，安全沒有疑慮。 ==中華民國遊覽車公會全聯會理事長 魯孝亞== 一階(一體)打造就是你台灣 除非有自主研發的底盤 但台灣有沒有這個能力 沒有 所以在沒有這能力的情形下 所以他(遊覽車業者) 必須仰賴國外整車底盤進口 再來台灣做車身打造 針對外界指出，應該從國外進口一體打造的車體，才符合安全要求。全聯會表示，國內法規要求車體需有8個逃生出口，就算進口車，還是要改裝，業者呼籲，交通部應訂定包含電器負載量、滅火器、擊破器擺放位置，以及逃生出口位置的統一標準，讓遊客在災害發生時，可以立即反應。他們沈重地說，台灣觀光產業，已經經不起再一次打擊。 ==台中市遊覽車公會理事長 張治本== (一天)損失兩千萬 兩千萬乘以30天 就是一個月損失6億的營業額 不含周邊的飯店餐飲採購等 純粹遊覽車的減少損失 一個月6億 如果半年來算就損失36億 遊覽車公會全聯會表示，車上飲水機、卡拉ok，這些電器不是原罪，政府應該訂出完整法規，業者也應該自律，共同努力提升遊覽車的行車安全。 記者李志華 邱福財 台北報導