Tourism Bureau to End Lodging Subsidy on Sept. 8 國旅自由行住宿補助 使用至9/8截止

On July 15, the Tourism Bureau launched a program offering subsidies for domestic travel, including a lodging subsidy of up to NT$1,300 a night for individual travelers. The response has been enthusiastic. The Tourism Bureau announced that Sept. 8 will be the last day for the subsidy.

On July 15, the Tourism Bureau launched a program offering subsidies for domestic travel. The program included a lodging subsidy of up to NT$1,300 a night for individual travelers. The response has been enthusiastic, and the Tourism Bureau's website shows that over 70 percent of the available rooms have been used. It therefore announced that Sept. 8 will be the last day for the subsidy.

Lin Hsin-jen, Deputy Director-General, Tourism Bureau: “Yesterday it was already over 70 percent, and the red light is already flashing. We estimate that the final day of this domestic travel subsidy will be Sept. 8.”

The bureau said the other subsidies including those for tour groups and amusement park tickets will remain available until Dec. 15. Meanwhile, the tourism industry is eyeing the potential of the senior citizen travel market in the post-pandemic period and planning domestic itineraries specifically for those in their golden years.

Hsu Kao-ching, Consultant, Tourism Industry Information Association: “There are ones with Sun Moon Lake, with Hualien and Taitung, and even ones for those who like the sea such as one in the south, Kenting, etc. These itineraries are all quite suitable for us senior citizens.”

The bureau said more and more senior citizens are signing up to join tour groups. People aged 60 and above account for about 20 percent of the travel market. Senior citizens that sign up for domestic tours can receive a subsidy of NT$500 per person. The value of the golden year travel market in 2021 was NT$40 billion. The bureau hopes senior citizens from other countries will visit Taiwan once borders reopen.

為了振興國內旅遊市場，交通部觀光局從7月15日起推出國旅補助方案，其中自由行每人每晚、最多補助1300元住宿優惠活動，民眾參與熱度相當高，短短一個多月，觀光局官網已亮起優惠房間數使用超過7成的「紅燈」，因此宣布9月8日為國旅住宿補助的最後一天。

交通部觀光局副局長林信任表示：「昨天已經超過7成，已經亮紅燈了，所以我們預計是9月8日，國旅的個別旅遊補助可能就要告一個段落。」

觀光局表示，其他國旅團體旅遊及觀光遊樂園入園等優惠補助，仍然持續中，到今年12月15日止，民眾可以把握機會運用；而為了迎接後疫情時代，不少旅遊業者鎖定在樂齡旅遊新市場，讓退休銀髮族在國內作定點深度旅遊。

觀光產業資訊協會顧問許高慶指出：「像日月潭，甚至到花東啦，甚至於就是說我們喜歡海的，當然就是說在南部墾丁等等，這些行程的話，其實都蠻適合我們（銀髮族）。」

觀光局強調，越來越多銀髮族喜歡找旅行社團體旅遊，60歲以上樂齡族約占旅遊市場兩成，目前銀髮族參加國旅團，每人可補助500元，光是去年110年，樂齡市場相關產值就高達400億台幣，未來國門開放後，也希望吸引國外銀髮族來台觀光慢遊，認識台灣每個角落。