Offering incentives of up to NT$1.49 million for cruises bringing over 2,000 travelers to Taiwan

By Li Hsin-yi / Compiled and Reported

Although most foreign tourists currently enter Taiwan by air, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications is responding to the growing cruise tourism trend in Asia. With Taiwan being an island nation surrounded by sea and dotted with ports suitable for cruise ship docking, the Tourism Bureau announced on March 12 at the Cruise Shipping Miami—the world’s largest cruise exhibition held in Florida—that cruises bringing over 250 passengers to Taiwan will be eligible for an incentive of USD 10 to USD 25 per passenger.

To encourage international cruises to dock in Taiwan and help the local tourism industry attract more foreign cruise ships, the Tourism Bureau released the “Incentive Guidelines for Promoting Foreign Cruises to Visit Taiwan” in February this year. The incentives are targeted at foreign cruise companies that operate international cruise routes and have decision-making power over port calls. The incentives are calculated based on the number of inbound foreign passengers—excluding crew members, staff, and passengers holding ROC citizenship—on each cruise that docks at a Taiwanese port. Cruises carrying over 250 passengers are eligible for an incentive ranging from USD 10 to USD 25 per passenger. For example, a cruise with 2,001 inbound passengers would receive USD 25 per passenger, amounting to approximately NT$1.49 million in total.

Foreign cruise companies whose ships’ routes meet the application criteria can submit applications along with supporting documents such as the application form, a copy of the company registration certificate, a copy of the ship’s nationality registration certificate, and the itinerary, to the Tourism Bureau’s overseas offices. Detailed guidelines on the incentive program can be found on the Tourism Bureau’s official website: admin.taiwan.net.tw/law/law_d.aspx?no=130&d=495.

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