You Could Get Paid to Visit Taiwan

Last week, Taiwan’s Premier Chen Chien-jen announced the government’s plan to attract six million tourists in 2023, and double that in 2024 . It may seem like a lofty goal given the drop off of tourism to the country following the pandemic — there were fewer than 900,000 visitors in 2022, per the Taiwan Tourism Bureau — until you consider the fact that they’re actually willing to pay visitors.

Per a report from CNN, in an effort to boost tourism, Taiwan will offer NT$5,000 ($165) to 500,000 individual tourists if they vacation in the country, as well as up to NT$20,000 ($658) to 90,000 tour groups.

Transport Minister Wang Kuo-tsai said that that the cash allowances will be dispersed digitally and visitors are welcome to apply them towards expenses incurred in Taiwan, including towards accommodations. He added that the goal is ultimately to attract more visitors from key markets like Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Macao, as well as Europe and America.

500,000 Free Flights to Hong Kong Are Up for Grabs

You may be able to score one as part of the city’s new tourism campaign

It’s not the first time a tourism board has deployed such a tactic. In similar fashion, Malta began awarding foreign travelers up to €200 ($238) for booking a stay for three nights or more in 2021. And just this month, Hong Kong announced that it would be offering 500,000 free flights as an extension of the new “Hello Hong Kong” campaign, which seeks to increase tourism to the city.

Of course, $165 isn’t exactly a game-changer for travelers from the U.S., where flights to Taiwan run anywhere from $1,500-$2,000 on average. But if you are enticed by the offer, the details are still being finalized, so you can’t apply just yet anyway.