Transport chief urges hotels to lower holiday rates
Transport chief urges hotels to lower holiday rates
2024-02-26
Transport minister Wang Kwo-tsai wants Taiwan hotels to lower their holiday rates. The call comes amid complaints of prohibitively high prices on weekends and holidays. Remarking on the market trend, the transport chief projected the arrival of 12 million international visitors to Taiwan this year. He said that their arrival could cover the income shortfall that hotels experience in off-peak periods, allowing them to lower their rates on holidays.
Many people want to travel in Taiwan on their days off. But high hotel prices are forcing some to reconsider.
Member of public
If we were to go out as a family, we’d have to spend NT$5,000, NT$6,000 or more. So I’d consider doing a day trip instead.
Member of public
I’d go abroad because it’s cheaper.
Holiday rates at hotels have been sky-high. In response, transport minister Wang Kwo-tsai said that flights have already returned to 90% of prepandemic levels. Taiwan is aiming for 12 million international tourists this year, he said, noting that these visitors would fill hotel income on weekdays, potentially leading to lower holiday rates.
Wang Kwo-tsai
Transport minister
As international visitors return, they will cover revenue shortfalls on off-peak days. If hotels end up earning money on off-peak days but keep rates high on peak days, I’ll scold them. There will be no punishments, but we’ll have a talk.
Cho Chien-hui
Hotel association
If these 12 million tourists come in tour groups – if group travelers make up the bulk of people coming, that would be more helpful toward hotels making money on weekdays. Tourists traveling independently don’t boost weekday business as much.
One hotel association says that more international tourists will only help if the travelers come in groups. She adds that, with a labor shortage and rising prices for materials and utilities, the cost of running hotels has risen by 60%, making price cuts challenging.
Cho Chien-hui
Hotel association
We should just allow market mechanisms to determine the rates. There’s no need for the government to ask for adjustments, or the minister saying he’ll scold us if we don’t lower prices.
The association says Taiwan’s hotel market has a wide range of prices. It said that in a free market, consumers can choose the price point that suits them.
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國際旅客破千萬"降房價"? 王國材:沒降 我就罵他們
2024-02-26
國旅假日房價，動輒六、七千甚至破萬，交通部長王國材表示，今年國際旅客來台可望達到1200萬人，可以補足飯店的離峰時間，他強調，如果離峰有賺到錢，尖峰還這麼貴，我就罵他們，引發旅館同業公會不滿，認為房價應由市場機制決定，政府不該干預。
假日想出外走走，一看到國旅飯店價格，讓不少人打退堂鼓。
[[民眾]]
“可能如果我們全家出去，可能要五六千以上，六千多。可能就會當天來回。”
[[民眾]]
“去國外，因為比較便宜。”
國旅一到假日價格翻漲，日前交通部長王國材強調，目前航線恢復到9成，今年國際旅客來台有機會達到疫情前的1200萬人次，就能填補飯店平日缺口，假日價格也能跟著調降。
[[交通部長 王國材]]
“國際觀光客一直回流以後，那個離峰就會補了。如果他離峰有賺到錢，他尖峰這麼貴的話，我就會罵他們。是沒有處罰，但是我們會跟他談。”
[[旅館商業同業公會秘書長 卓倩慧]]
“其實這1200萬人，如果說是以團客，以團客的方式進來的人，觀光客比較多，其實對飯店業來講的幫助，平日的幫助會比較大。自由客進來的話，這對飯店平常的價格比較沒有幫助不大。”
不過，旅館同業公會不以為然，除非是團客，才會在平日入住飯店，加上人力缺工，原物料、水電費都在漲，飯店成本多出五六成，降價談何容易。
[[旅館商業同業公會秘書長 卓倩慧]]
“可以尊重市場機制，這個市場給的這個房價的價格，而不是由政府這邊來要求，或是說我們不降價，部長就要來罵我們。”
旅館商業同業公會表示，台灣的旅宿市場有高價也有低價的選擇，這是自由市場，消費者可根據自己需求選擇合適價位的旅館。
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