Taiwan plans to offer tourists $165 per holiday. Cash rewards will also be offered to tour groups to encourage them to visit the island, CNN reports.
Taiwan’s Premier Chen Chien-zhen announced that the government aims to attract six million tourists in 2023, double that figure in 2024, and reach 10 million visitors by 2025.
A NT$5,000 ($165) allowance is being introduced as a “sweetener” for 500,000 individual tourists. Benefits of up to NT$20,000 ($658) will also be provided to 90,000 tour groups.
Transportation Minister Wang Kuo-tsai said the cash benefits will be given out “digitally”. Tourists will be able to use this money to cover their expenses in Taiwan, including accommodation.
He added that these measures are aimed at attracting more tourists from key markets, including Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Macau, as well as Europe and America.
Just under 900,000 inbound tourists visited Taiwan in 2022, according to statistics from the Taiwan Tourism Bureau. Among the largest groups were visitors from Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, and the USA.
These numbers are several times lower than in 2019 when Taiwan attracted a record 11.8 million foreign tourists.
The island lifted entry restrictions in October 2022, after one of the longest border closures in the world.
Ready to book? Until then, wait. The government has yet to announce when the scheme will begin and how to apply for the money.