TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — To encourage more foreign tourists to visit Taiwan now that its COVID restrictions have been lifted, a lucky draw for a NT$5,000 (US$163) travel stipend for foreign travelers went into effect on Monday (May 1).
That day, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau launched a subsidy scheme titled "Taiwan the Lucky Land," in which NT$5,000 will be provided to 500,000 foreign tourists who win a lucky draw over the course of three years from May 1, 2023 to June 30, 2025. To jump-start Taiwan's tourism, the NT$5,000 incentive will be handed out to 250,000 winners this year, while in 2024, the prize will be awarded to 150,000 travelers, and in 2025, there will be 100,000 recipients.
Prize options
Winners must choose in advance whether to receive the funds via a pre-paid payment card or accommodation voucher and present the supporting documentation when claiming the prize at the counter of a designated airport or Tourism Bureau office.
Tourists who opt for payment cards can choose between having the money stored on an EasyCard or iPass. When spending the prize money with these cards, the single purchase limit is NT$1,500, while no more than NT$3,000 can be spent per day.
The vouchers can only be used by the winner, and they cannot be reused, exchanged, or resold. The vouchers can be used at officially authorized hotels.
Eligibility
According to the bureau, the draw is open to foreign independent travelers who hold foreign passports, visit Taiwan for three to 90 days, are not members of a tour group, and are not applying for any group-related Taiwan travel subsidies. Visitors may register for the draw one to seven days before their scheduled arrival date in Taiwan.
Registration steps
Go to the "Taiwan the Lucky Land" website.
Click on the Register Now option.
Select and click Register for the lucky draw.
Fill out last name, middle name, first name, passport number, nationality, arrival airport, arrival and departure dates, airlines, flight numbers, and email address.
Next to "Travel prizes options," select E-Ticket-iPass, E-Ticket- EasyCard, or Accommodation Vouchers.
Enter the verification code.
Click the checkbox next to the statement pledging correctness and authenticity of information entered.
Click send.
A confirmation email should arrive at the email address submitted in the form. The email will contain a QR code that will be used to determine whether they have won the draw when they arrive at a designated airport.
How to claim the prize
Scan the QR code at the dedicated lucky draw redemption area when arriving at one of these four airports, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taipei Songshan Airport, Taichung International Airport, and Kaohsiung International Airport. If the lottery screen at the airport arrival hall indicates that a traveler has won the prize, they must present staff with their passport and relevant supporting documents, including entry stamp, boarding pass, and electronic round-trip air ticket.
The lucky traveler must then sign to confirm receipt and collect the prize. The type of prize received will depend on the option selected when registering.
The type of prize cannot be changed after it has been entered into the system. Prizes can only be redeemed on the day of arrival in Taiwan.
For more information, please visit the website's FAQ section.
