Hotel occupancy recovering as subsidies get tourists traveling around Taiwan

2022-08-02

Business at hotels is rapidly recovering, as tourists flock to sightseeing spots around Taiwan. Hoteliers say occupancy on weekends can be as high as 80%, and that about 40% of guests take advantage of government subsidies. Some hotels are even hiring additional staff to attend to the growing number of travelers.

The hotel lobby is full of people, as receptionists check customers in. Some travelers say on weekends, they had to wait more than an hour to complete arrival procedures. COVID is easing, and many people are taking advantage of summer discounts to go sightseeing with their family.

Member of public
We planned it to take advantage of the government subsidies. Some friends of mine were talking about how the programs were good to take the kids out during the summer break.

Member of public
The pool was packed full. And many hotels are fully booked. We had a really hard time finding a room last time we went to Yilan.

Everyone is itching to travel, and hotels are finally profiting. Occupancy rates have gone up significantly. The Regent Taipei is 75% booked on weekdays, and 80% on weekends. The Grand Hyatt Taipei, which has a large number of rooms, is 40% booked on weekdays and almost 60% on weekends. Occupancy at the Sheraton Grand Taipei Hotel and Le Meridien Taipei is at between 50% to 60% on weekdays and about 80% on weekends. At long last, life is returning to the hospitality sector, partly thanks to government subsidy programs.

Member of public
Some friends were saying we could go somewhere. If you want to travel, do so. But there is no need to force it. The subsidies can reduce the cost.

Member of public
If you want to revitalize the economy, subsidy plans are a must. I’d go to Hualien if I could.

The government launched a travel subsidy program two weeks ago. Already, subsidies have been used in 431,000 room bookings, spending NT$550 million of the program’s budget. The Tourism Bureau says that not even half of the available subsidies have been used yet. Though popularity has waned somewhat since launch, the bureau says the budget could run out as early as September.

Tsai Hui-ju
Hotel PR
About 40% of our guests are using the government subsidy programs. There’s also a ray of hope that border controls will continue easing. So we’re hiring, and we’re especially looking for customer-facing staff.

The tourism sector is back in business, and with so many travelers, some hotels are hoping to hire additional staff.

國旅補助加持! 飯店住房率回升"週末有八成"

2022-08-02

國旅補助上路兩週，目前已用掉5.5億預算，碰上暑假旅遊旺季，依照目前熱度，最快九月初就會用光。在補助的助攻下，飯店住房率跟著回升，平日有5到7成，週末來到8成左右，就有多家業者為了因應旅宿業復甦，開出第一線人員職缺。

飯店大廳熙來人往，櫃台人員忙著服務客人，還有民眾週末入住大排長龍，checkin得等上一個小時，疫情趨緩，不少人趁著暑假期間優惠多，帶小朋友出去玩。

[[民眾]]
“有安排，因為政府剛好有優惠，有一些朋友想說，剛好暑假帶小朋友出去”

[[民眾]]
“游泳池裡面都是人，然後飯店裡面好像蠻多都客滿，其實飯店我們上次去宜蘭，蠻難訂的啊”

報復性旅遊潮帶動飯店業績，看看各家住房率，都有明顯提升，晶華酒店平日7成5、週末8成，君悅房間數最多，平日也有4成、週末近6成，喜來登和寒舍艾美平日約5到6成，週末8成左右，在國旅補助助攻下，旅宿業回溫。

[[民眾]]
“有朋友想要討論去別的地方玩，想要玩的話還是會去玩，沒有說一定要，補助是加減”

[[民眾]]
“這個要刺激經濟的話，也是必須做一些補助方案，去花蓮吧，如果情況允許的話”

國旅補助上路兩週，已申請43.1萬間房，已用掉5.5億預算，根據觀光局統計，補助燈號亮綠燈，代表優惠房間數還有一半以上，不過依照目前熱度，估計最快9月初就會用完。

[[飯店公關蔡蕙如]]
“有將近四成左右的房客，他們使用的是悠遊國旅補助方案，邊境開放也都陸續有一些曙光出現，所以我們徵才的部分，當然就是持續都有在應徵當中，最主要的話是第一線服務人員”

旅遊業景氣回溫，為了因應大量旅客，飯店業也大舉徵才，多家業者開出第一線服務人員職缺，要為復甦做好準備。

CWB issues heavy and extremely heavy rain advisories for 19 cities and counties

2022-08-02

Pokemon news: a fruity Pikachu comes to Taipei; update on Pokemon Grandpa

Now a bouquet of news for Pokemon fans. A series of events is bringing a special fruity Pikachu to Taipei City. You’ll be able to see him performing in Da’an Forest Park. Mayor Ko Wen-je was on hand to discuss his own feelings about the Japanese video game phenomenon. And we also have an update from the city’s beloved Pokemon grandpa. When we last spoke to the Pokemon Go expert in 2020, he had dozens of phones on one bike, in his efforts to catch ‘em all.

A Pikachu in a fruity T-shirt charms the audience. This limited-edition fruity Pikachu is only available in Taipei. He will appear in Pokemon Go for one year from October on, and star at multiple events organized by the Pokemon Company and Taipei City.

This glowing Pikachu has a luminous head at night. You can see him performing in Da’an Forest Park in the evening. Ticket-holders will also get to meet the rare Pokemon Pachirisu. Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je doesn’t play Pokemon Go but he knows that many see a likeness between him and Psyduck.

Ko Wen-je
Taipei mayor
I don’t know why I get put together with Psyduck. I really can’t see what we have in common, apart from this head-scratching thing we do.

Ko put on a Psyduck shirt prepared for him but declined to enter a beauty contest with the Pokemon. The Japanese video game creatures are still as big now as they were decades ago, with seemingly universal appeal. Pokemon Go is especially popular.

Jeffery hsu
Gamer
In Taiwan, like in other countries, the average age of gamers has gone up. The way we play videogames has changed. Now you can play while you are walking on the street. It’s almost like a health or fitness thing. You can also interact with other gamers in real life.

Two years ago, Taiwan feted its own Pokemon Go celebrity, a Taipei grandpa who attached more than 60 smartphones to his bike in order to catch ‘em all. His dedication made him the most famous Pokemon hunter in the country.

Chen San-yuan (2020)
Pokemon grandpa
I don’t take them off to ride around here. I can see fine and I can see the cars coming. When I ride down a busier, big road, then I take a few phones off and I can see better.

Since our last interview, Pokemon grandpa achieved his goal of 72 phones on his bike, with sponsorship from a phone company. His family informed us that he’s not able to speak easily anymore, since a stroke at the start of the year. Neighbors in Taipei surely miss the sight of grandpa riding down the street on his latest quest.

2022-08-02

TRA disruptions for upcoming long holidays expected as union, MOTC talks fail

The Taiwan Railways Administration workers’ union has said that workers will not work upcoming holidays, and that it is not ruling out a full strike in November. The union and the transport ministry have failed to reach a consensus on workers’ pay and benefits, among other issues related to the planned corporatization of the TRA. If the two sides can’t work things out in time, the union says it may strike during November’s local elections, which may have a big impact on voter turnout.

A refusal by railway workers to work during the Labor Day holiday back in May resulted in the transport ministry replacing trains with buses for the weekend. Now with the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays fast approaching, the railway union says workers may again refuse to work. It’s calling for roughly 1,500 train drivers nationwide to take the holidays off.

Member of public
During holidays people like to travel. Now with this type of thing happening, lots of people’s plans are going to be affected.

Member of public
When they suddenly stop working like this they may have their reasons, but for the public it’s very inconvenient.

Members of the public express concerns about the impact of a potential railway disruption on holiday travel. Meanwhile, the union says the number of trains that will operate during the two upcoming holidays may be even smaller than the 18 services that were offered on Labor Day. The union says similar action may be taken during the local elections in November, and it will not rule out taking further action with a strike.

Wu Chang-chih
TRA union
As for the local elections, on the day of the elections we will first go through legal procedures to obtain the right to vote. During local elections we will be taking more than just one day off.

Member of public
The voting rate is going to decline, because there are a lot of people from Southern Taiwan who have to go back. These workers can protect their rights, but they shouldn’t do it in a way that seems like they’re punishing everyone. Doing it this way burdens everyone.

With concerns arising that the next disruption of train services may last more than just a single day, the transport ministry met with the union to discuss its concerns. However, when talks on the corporatization of the TRA turned to workers’ salaries and benefits, the two sides again reached an impasse.

Su Tseng-chang
Premier
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications has already made promises to TRA workers regarding the company’s corporatization. Now let’s work together to win back the public trust.

With the TRA union and the transport ministry still unable to reach a consensus workers’ pay and other issues, more railways disruptions may be on the horizon. Transport minister Wang Kwo-tsai says he will continue to pursue dialogue with the union.

2022-08-02

United we thrive: entrepreneurs explain how they built Japanese restaurant chain

Today we take a peek into the world of the entrepreneur. Three young foodies decided to band together to open a Japanese restaurant chain seven years ago. Although the early days were full of trouble, they managed to thrive and carve out a niche in the competitive industry. Let’s take a look at how they did it.

A nine-kilo salmon is brought over from the fishing harbor first thing in the morning. The chef skins it nimbly, dividing the meat and then removing the bones with tweezers. Then he cuts out the finest, fattiest cuts – just 40% of the fish.

Kuo Chen-nan
Japanese restaurant head chef
When a fish comes in, another store might sell the whole thing. We can only sell about half of it. We have waste of about 50%. Salmon and swordfish have a lot of gristle, which we cut straight off.

Absolutely no gristle is the no. 1 rule of sashimi. A fastidious commitment to the best ingredients is the secret of success for this Japanese restaurant.

Regular customer
The fish is so fresh here, really. I just saw the owner killing it himself. I often invite friends to come and eat with me.

Tang Kuo-lin
Japanese restaurant CEO
The most extreme we had, was a regular customer who came five times a week. When we started the business, we wanted to attract customers with low prices. But we use the same quality of ingredients as high-end Japanese restaurants.

Japanese cuisine requires fresh ingredients and high quality to shine. At this restaurant, the prices are much less than the market norm. They offer luxury set meals for bargain prices by joining forces with peers in the same business.

Tang Kuo-lin
Japanese restaurant CEO
Because I know lots of people in the business. After all, we all started off as small restaurants. So we buy our ingredients together, which allows us to control the costs. In my view, although things are hard for our generation of young people, if we are united enough, we will have a certain advantage in the market.

In the first year of the restaurant, these three young entrepreneurs worked together, managing everything themselves. When the store shut, they head to the fish market at the crack of dawn to choose the best catch. Only when everything is all in hand did they head home for a bit of downtime. They worked like that for a whole year to get the business off the ground and running.

Tang Kuo-lin
Japanese restaurant CEO
You really have to be psychologically prepared to start a business. That is, you might go through a few tough years that the average person wouldn’t be willing to go through. I remember when we had just started, the three of us probably only slept about four or five hours a night.

Now after seven years in business, the trio has three stores open and thriving, and a monthly turnover of more than a million NT. By working together, they’ve opened up possibilities that none could have created alone.

2022-08-02

Two contacts of local BA.5-infected patients test positive for COVID

2022-08-02

Top doctor dedicates himself to serving rural communities of Taitung

You might have heard of patients coming to Taipei to consult a top doctor, or even going abroad for a rare treatment. But have you heard of Taipei residents heading to Taitung for the best medical care? If you have an ear, nose or throat issue, you might consider it. Thirteen years ago, Dr. Chen Lukedaw left a prestigious post in the capital to serve the people of Taitung. Now he’s attracting patients into the county. Now in his 70s, he’s determined to keep on giving his best to the rural communities of the east coast as long as he can.

Mr. Hsu
Patient
He’s the best doctor I’ve ever had.

This patient has a frog in his throat describing the impact of Dr. Chen Lukedaw’s care. The ear, nose and throat specialist at Taitung Christian Hospital has many patients come to him all the way from Taipei, for his heartfelt and conscientious treatment.

Relative of patient
Dr. Chen’s medical skills and his attitude are wonderful. We still live in Taipei, and we come here on the train just to see him.

Dr. Chen conducts a careful examination, not letting a single detail escape his notice. He’s been working here in Taitung for 13 years, serving communities with relatively underdeveloped medical services, and attracting countless grateful patients.

Dr. Chen Lukedaw
Taitung Christian Hospital
The foreign missionaries would say that the U.S. was just over the road, but the top of the mountain was a world away. It seemed rather tragic to me, that they came all the way from over the ocean, with their whole family in tow, still young, to help folks in Taitung. But our own Taiwanese neighbors wouldn’t do anything to help.

That thought inspired Dr. Chen to retire from National Taiwan University Hospital at the age of just 58. He moved 300 kilometers away to Taitung, and became the ear, nose and throat expert at Taitung Christian Hospital. Although it was tough for his family, they supported his vision.

Son of Dr. Chen Lukedaw
That year when he was officially going to move to Taitung, we bought a new car, and we all went for a family trip to Sun Moon Lake. Then we drove home, and he stayed here. Usually it’s the children who eventually leave home, but for us it was our dad who left home.

Now he’s also branched out into education, paying for a “Classroom of Hope” where children from rural villages can receive free tutoring.

Dr. Chen Lukedaw
Taitung Christian Hospital
I had a fall one year, when I had a stroke. But God brought me back to life, giving me a new life. My doctor said that my work here wasn’t complete yet, and that I had to keep on going.

Now 70 years old, Dr. Chen has had seven stents put in his heart, but he’s still full of enthusiasm for his work, determined to keep on serving the people of Taitung for as long as he can.

2022-08-02

Taiwan-made and imported car prices set to go up in August

2022-08-02

China suspends imports of more than 3,000 Taiwanese food products

China has suspended import of thousands of Taiwanese food products in a move that FDA officials say is politically motivated. The import ban affects products from more than 100 Taiwanese companies, and hard-hit products include honey, tea leaves and seafood. The Council of Agriculture says it will launch response measures to help producers cope with the sudden ban.

On the website for China’s General Administration of Customs, Taiwanese foodstuffs from are now listed as banned from import. The products are from more than 100 companies, including Kuo Yuan Ye, AGV, Kuai Kuai, I-Mei and Wei Chuan, with a total of more than 3,000 food items listed under the ban. Operators have launched emergency response measures.

Shih Tzu-tse
Food Association of Taiwan
We held a meeting this morning, and decided to have the food items first returned to us. However, China is our main market, so after the items are returned we aren’t sure how to go about selling them. It’s a real headache for us.

Chou Tzu-liang
Taipei Pastry Industry Vocational Union
Some pastry makers feel there are too many problems to deal with, so they’ve already begun shifting to new markets. They’ve begun selling in Southeast Asia, or in the U.S. So, they are less impacted by this ban.

Although producers have shifted distribution to markets in Southeast Asia and the U.S., many of the shipping containers already in China may need to be brought back to Taiwan. Any expired foods will need to be discarded, resulting in losses for producers. Exporters say they hope the government can help them diversify their markets to spread out risk. The suspension of imports is seen by many as a protest from China against a Taiwan visit by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Member of the public
It’s quite expected. The news over the past few days has been reporting on various actions by China.

Member of the public
They can’t totally rely on China, so we have to support them, we have to do more to help them.

One person called for everyone to buy up pastries and help the industry, while the Council of Agriculture also promised assistance.

Voice of Lin Chia-jung
Council of Agriculture
The Council of Agriculture and the Ministry of Economic Affairs will provide relevant assistance to those companies and producers who are impacted. We will ensure they can register for help as soon as possible.

The COA says that honey, tea leaves and seafood are among the products most heavily affected by the ban. Though their export value was not high last year, the council says it will launch response measures. China alleges that lack of documentation is to blame for the suspension, but the FDA says that political factors could be at play. Processed food exports to China and Hong Kong reached US$646.21 million last year, which was less than the year before. Foodstuffs producers worry that the number could be even less this year. They hope to find new markets to reduce risk.

2022-08-02

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi departs from Malaysia in northbound flight

2022-08-02