TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — In order to prevent the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), amusement parks will soon only be permitted to allow the number of visitors at any one time to reach 50 percent of their maximum capacity, the Ministry of Transportation said Wednesday (April 8).
Authorities were shocked by footage shot during the April 2-5 Tomb Sweeping Holiday, which showed dense crowds at some of the island’s major tourist attractions, including the beach resort of Kenting. Many people were seen completely disregarding the government's calls for “social distancing” and some were not even wearing masks.
As a result, calls have emerged for the cancellation of the upcoming May 1 holiday, though the government has for the time being said that the three-day holiday still stands. However, on Wednesday the Ministry of Transportation said it was mulling setting the maximum safety density of visitors for the 25 most popular amusement parks at 50 percent of their total capacity, CNA reported.
Similar restrictions would also apply to 42 popular scenic spots at 13 national scenic parks: for example, only allowing 50 percent of parking spaces to be occupied, with police monitoring additional parking in the neighborhood.
Additional measures may include limiting entry and exit points in order to allow authorities to manage the number of visitors, with the possibility of diverting tourists to other sites to avoid overcrowding.
