Hualien tourism industry to be hit by NT$5.3bn loss – Taipei Times

The tourism industry in Hualien is forecast to sustain losses of approximately NT$5.3 billion (US$165.13 million) this month following a powerful earthquake on the coast of the county last week, the Hualien County tourism Association said on Sunday.

Speaking to the Central News Agency, Chen Yi-feng (陳義豐), head of the tourism association, said that the fatal quake has severely impacted Hualien’s tourism industry, estimating that the hotel booking rate for this month is expected to drop to less than 10 percent.

The association previously estimated that about 60 percent of the hotel rooms in Hualien would be booked this month, but the earthquake has ruined the holiday mood of many of the potential visitors during the four-day Tomb Sweeping Day holiday, dragging down the booking rate for the month, Chen said.