The Ministry of Transportation and Communications' independent spring break travel subsidy went online on Mar. 22. Currently, over 2,000 travel accommodation companies are taking part and the number is increasing. To prevent fraud, the subsidy this time round is restricted to travel accommodation companies and they are only eligible to apply after their guests have actually checked in.


The Spring Tour section of the Tourism Bureau's "Taiwan Stay" website has gone live, with participating hotels and guesthouses listed by location. According to the bureau, over 2,000 hospitality businesses have already registered. As there were issues previously with hotels applying for subsidies for cancelled reservations, they now have to wait until guests have checked in before applying for subsidies.

We have asked hotels not to register on our system until guests have checked in. Before, they could register as soon as a reservation was made. This is no longer the case.

The bureau says the subsidy schedule is decided by local governments. Nantou, for example, will start its subsidy program in April while Yilan is waiting until May. Local governments can also create itineraries highlighting local specialties and events for additional subsidies. The itineraries will be released by the Tourism Bureau on Mar. 29. One guesthouse says the subsidy application process is too complicated and its phone has been ringing off the hook with queries. The guesthouse also complained about having to wait four months after the program closes to collect the subsidies.

Subsidies do help, but we decided not to participate in the program this time. I can offer my own discounts -- larger discounts -- to tourists, and then they won't have to deal with their overly complicated registration system.

With regards to the last two subsidy programs, the bureau says 80 percent of subsidies from the one last November to December have been collected and they will be distributed in full by the end of April. Subsidies from the one in January will be distributed in full by the end of May. The bureau says subsidies from the current program will be received more quickly because they will be distributed by local governments.



打開觀光局"台灣旅宿網"網頁，"春遊專區"已經上線，參與的飯店民宿都會依照縣市別，揭露在網頁上，觀光局初步統計，已經有兩千多家旅宿業者報名參加，因過去兩波旅遊補助，曾發生過旅客取消未入住，但業者沒有把資料取消，觀光局這一次也增加防弊條款，要求業者必須在旅客實際入住後，才能上網登記申請補助。

觀光局旅宿組長 湯文琦表示：「就是有跟旅宿業者要求，一定要民眾入住之後，才能夠在我們系統上面登記，之前的話是可以，如果旅客已經有訂房，就可以開放登記，但是這次要"完成入住了"，他們才可以開始登記。」

觀光局表示，這一波春遊補助時程由各縣市政府自行決定，以南投為例四月就開始，宜蘭則是五月，各縣市還可以提出會展和地方特色的遊程來加碼補助，這部分預計在3月29日由觀光局彙整後公布，有旅宿業者直言，補助方式太複雜，民眾詢問電話不斷，加上要在活動後四個月才能拿到補助款，對業者來說有些困擾。

聲音來源 宜蘭民宿業者表示：「有補助還是說會有幫助，可是像我們這次的補助，我們就決定說我們就沒有要參加，我可以自己做折扣給旅客，就是讓他有不一樣的，就是我們會折扣多一點給他，就是也不用去做那一些繁複的登錄。」

針對先前兩波旅遊補助款，觀光局回應，去年11月到12月的暖冬旅遊補助，已經完成八成撥款，預計四月底前全數完成，而一月份的擴大暖冬補助款，會在五月底前全數撥款，這一次春遊補助和地方政府合作，由縣市政府核發補助款，預計會比過去都由中央核發來得快速。