New Policy with Only 25,000 Entries Per Week 單週2.5萬人入境限制 國人返國須搶名額

The Central Epidemic Command Center last week eased quarantine rules for inbound travelers, who must undergo three days of home quarantine upon arrival and spend another four days in self-initiated disease prevention. At the same time, the CECC has capped the number of weekly arrivals to 25,000, which critics said has limited the number of available flights and caused ticket prices to skyrocket. Therefore, the KMT is calling on the government to exclude Taiwanese nationals from the limit cap. 

The government gradually relaxes border controls recently, with inception of the 3+4 quarantine policy starting June 15. Considering the continued threat of Omicron variants, as well as domestic medical care capacity, the CECC has capped the number of weekly arrivals to 25,000. This also limits the actual formation and confirmation of international travel groups.  

Lan Yi-ching, Executive Director, Taipei Association of Travel Agents: “Summer is approaching, so the hot season for travelers returning home and traveling outside of Taiwan will definitely exceed 25,000 people. The tour groups may only be launched and viewed but not sold or executed yet. This is a restriction for us as well.”

Tickets to return to Taiwan are highly coveted and extremely limited. Travel businesses report that those nationals trying to return to Taiwan are asking every airline for any remaining flight seats; however, even if there are still seats, the ticket prices have all surged, or only business class tickets are available. 

Wong Hong-jen, Chairman, Tiger Tour: “For a foreign carrier flying from afar to Taiwan but only allowing 50 people to enter, where an airplane can seat up to 2-300 people, then inevitably fighting for seats and rising prices will result.”

In order to improve this predicament, travel businesses suggest that the government should relax the number of entries at the borders and exclude Taiwan nationals from the limited quota to ensure nationals' rights to return home while also solving operational difficulties of airlines and travel groups. 

Huang Wen-ching, Chair, Taiwan Travel Agents Association: “Actually I believe we should differentiate Taiwan nationals and international travelers or international business travelers. That way, there will not be problems with the 25,000 people limit and we can still achieve COVID-19 prevention purposes.”

KMT Deputy Secretary Wang Yu-min says many people who are facing possible expulsion of household registration are planning to return home before July 26 to re-register; however, due to the limited number of entries, it may affect their voting rights end of the year. 

近來政府逐步邊境解封，6月15日入境居隔「3+4」上路，但因考量Omicron變異株威脅，及國內醫療量能，初期僅開放單周2.5萬人入境，出國旅遊團成團機率也連帶受限。

台北旅行業同業公會常務理事藍一晴說：「漸漸進入暑假，然後返國的熱潮，出國的熱潮，人數勢必會超過2萬5千人的。那我們現在的團體只能上架，只能看，可以報名，但是不能收錢，不能簽合約。這對我們來講，也是個是限制。」

而且返台機位一票難求，有業者反映，欲返台的國人爭相請名額，到處詢問各航公司限額下的機位。即便問到了，但票價高漲，或僅剩下昂貴的商務艙。

鴻大旅行社董事長翁鴻仁表示：「如果以一班外籍航空，它從那麼遠的地方，飛到台灣，只允許50個人入境。那你看，一班飛機可以坐到2、3百個人，就延伸下來的，搶名額、票價。」

為改善目前遇到的困境，業者建議，政府應儘速研擬放寬入境名額，並將本國人民排除於限制名額之外，以保障國人返鄉權益，並解決航空及旅行業者的營運困擾。

台灣旅行業協會理事長黃文卿表示：「其實我覺得我們，應該是把，國人跟這個國際的旅客呢，或是國際的商務客，我們做一個區隔。這樣子的話呢，大家不用為了這個2.5萬的部分，而且我們又可以達到防疫的效果。」

國民黨副秘書長王育敏說，不少面臨將被除籍的民眾，欲趕在7月26日返台辦理戶籍登記，但受限入境名額上限，恐也影響其年底投票權。