One popular country plans to pay tourists $5,000 each for visiting its territory. Such a statement was made by Taiwanese officials, accordingly, it is not about America, but about Taiwanese dollars. 5,000 Taiwan dollars in exchange for US dollars, will be only $164. True, this is the lower order of the amount – the upper one is 20,000 Taiwan dollars or $654. The incentive is planned to be extended to approximately 0.5 million vacationers, and the main goal, stated by officials, is to help the government reach its goal of 6 million visitors by the end of the year. This was reported by Points Guy.
The reason is simple: Taiwan only fully opened its borders last October due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and so far it has not managed to attract even a tenth of the tourists of previous years. Before the pandemic, the annual number of visitors was about 11.8 million people, but last year it fell to 9,000 people. In the end, such generous bonuses are expected to return the flow of tourists.
As explained by Chang Shi-Chung, director general of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, the payment data will be sent digitally to a tourist card that can only be used in Taiwan, ensuring that all cash is returned directly to the country’s tourism sector.
International tourists who received NT$5,000 will not receive it until arrival. The amount will be stored on an electronic ticket card, which can be used to pay for food, accommodation, and other transportation expenses during their stay here,” the official added. He also explained that the bonus cards will likely be distributed as part of a series of “promotional events” this year.
“Taiwan has found a smart way to inform the world that it is open for tourism,” the publication’s experts add. They also reminded that they are trying to attract tourists from other countries at the expense of bonuses – yes, Hong Kong announced that it is giving away half a million free airline tickets in an attempt to bring back visitors. No one knows yet whether the measure will work. The fact is that, in addition to the general uncertainty in the tourist market, left “for memory” by the COVID-19 pandemic, tourists are scared off by the probable escalation of tensions in relations between China and Taiwan. Although the same U.S. travel advisory lists Taiwan as one of the countries where “usual precautions” can be taken, U.S. warnings against China about a possible invasion still sound, “courtesies” in the form of Chinese warships passing through Taiwan continue, and tourists do not want to be extreme at all.
Experts also explained that a tourist who has earned such a financial incentive can afford it. “The cost of living in this part of Asia is lower than in many of its larger neighbors, and a week’s holiday can cost you less than the same time spent in many European destinations,” they note. As an example, they cite the cost of a hotel room in June – $84 for two in a 5* hotel. As another indicator, they also note the “Big Mac index” – that is, the average cost of a typical McDonald’s burger – in Taiwan it will cost 2.5 dollars – significantly cheaper than in its “historical homeland” in the USA – there it costs a little more than $6.
“A $164 subsidy probably won’t be enough to entice tourists to visit when a flight can cost three or four times as much. However, directly in Taiwan, for this amount, you can treat yourself to incredible food and other pleasures,” the experts conclude.