Taiwan Travel Subsidies Start July 1st – Foreign Residents Excluded

Starting July 1st, the central government’s latest plan to help boost the national economy will come into play in the form of travel subsidies for Taiwanese citizens.

Foreign nationals, regardless of status, tax payments and contributing to the local economy are reportedly not eligible to apply for the subsidies.

Running from July 1st until the end of October, the subsidies will serve as a stimulus to help the domestic tourism industry which has been hit hard by the lack of overseas travelers, and Taiwanese nationals opting to stay home through much of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Revealed by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) on Monday it was announced that NT$ 700 would be made available per person to group tourists using overnight hotels on the main island of Taiwan, whilst those visiting the outer islands of Kinmen, Matsu and Penghu would receive NT$ 1,200 per person per night.

Speaking in Taipei, Taiwan’s Transportation Minister Lin Chia-lung also said that individual travelers would receive NT$ 1,000 per room per night in subsidies in what is a one-time system limiting individuals to a single night stay throughout the four month period.

Those traveling to Xiao Liuqiu, off Pingtung County in south west Taiwan and Orchid, and Green islands off Taitung County in east Taiwan are, however, able to register for two nights in hotels Lin said.

The minister went on to say that the projected cost of the promotion would be NT$ 3.9 billion.