To promote tourism alongside international trade fairs, the Economic Ministry has partnered with the Transportation Ministry for two consecutive years to offer subsidies to international business travelers and groups. The Economic Ministry's International Trade Administration announced on Monday that applications for the initiative this year are now open and will remain open until November.
In 2024, the Ministry of Transportation’s Tourism Administration allocated funds to the International Trade Administration for this initiative, which attracted applications from 16 business groups, underscoring its popularity. The subsidies offered included up to NT$2,000 (approximately US$60) for individual international business travelers and up to NT$500,000 (almost US$15,300) for travel groups.
The budget for this year is expected to remain the same at NT$10 million (over US$305,000). However, it is noteworthy that the maximum subsidy has been increased to NT$600,000 (over US$18,000) per group in an effort to stimulate business opportunities.
According to the International Trade Administration, NT$2,000 will be provided per person from Monday to Thursday, and NT$1,500 (about US$45)from Friday to Sunday. Travelers with itineraries that span weekdays and weekends, or those attending Golden Travel Award-certified tours, are eligible for subsidies of up to NT$2,000 per person. The subsidy is available only for travel plans occurring three days before or after exhibition events attended by the applicants, with dates that should not overlap with the events.
According to the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), trade fairs in Taiwan have been growing this year, particularly with the upcoming Taiwan International Machine Tool Show in March and COMPUTEX in May. Additionally, the expected opening of the Taichung International Convention and Exhibition Center in the latter half of the year is projected to bring significant economic benefits to central Taiwan.