TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Only Taitung County residents will be allowed to ride in the hot air balloons at this year’s Taiwan International Balloon Festival, while residents from other municipalities will watch the colorful aerostats from the outer ring, according to the event's website.
The annual festival will be held from Saturday (Aug. 14) to Sept. 12 at Taitung's Luye Highland.
An accident occurred during the warm-up event at Chihshang Pastoral Farm Resort on Tuesday (Aug. 10), when a balloon caught fire soon after taking off and crashed into the nearby woods. No one was injured.
The incident initially prompted the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) to prohibit the balloon festival from continuing, but after an investigation, the CAA on Wednesday (Aug. 11) agreed to allow the main event to proceed as scheduled.
Taitung County Tourism Department Director Yu Ming-hsun (余明勳) said Thursday that this year, the month-long balloon festival will only allow Taitung County residents to take rides in tethered balloons within a controlled area. The fields outside this space will be open to visitors, but the maximum number allowed at one time will be kept at 5,000 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CNA reported.
The rides will take place during two sessions each day, with the morning session lasting from 5:30-7:00 a.m. and the afternoon session from 5:00-7:00 p.m. However, on opening day, there will only be the afternoon session.
Tickets for tethered flights went on sale online at 2 p.m. on Thursday. Taitung County residents wishing to purchase them can do so on this website.
(Taitung County Government video)
