“We hope that the domestic tour market will continue to prosper after the summer season is over. Asked why the ministry had not asked for more funds when the program’s budget was debated in June, Lin said that the Central Epidemic Command Center had lifted domestic travel restrictions earlier than the ministry expected, on June 7. While the ministry has paid travel subsidies since July 1, it had initially planned to do so starting next month. However, at the time it was unclear how the globalCOVID-19 situation would play out, and the tourism industry needed a stimulus,” he said. “The program has not just encouraged people to travel domestically, but also helped travel service operators survive and generated tax revenue for the government,” he said.

Source: Taipei Times August 26, 2020 15:56 UTC