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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》Package tours to Japan to increase by 5 to 10 percent
Passengers line up to check in at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Feb 8. Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
COSTLIER TRAVEL: Tours to Europe would be up to 25% more expensive due to a rising exchange rate, and higher costs of flight tickets, food and tour buses
By Cheng Wei-chi / Staff reporter
Package tour fees to Japan in the second quarter are expected to increase by 5 to 10 percent from the same period last year, the Travel Quality Assurance Association said yesterday.
Although Japan’s exchange rate has fallen by about 7 percent compared with the same period last year, the price of accommodation has increased by 10 to 15 percent, tour bus prices by 12 percent and ticket prices by 10 to 12 percent, it said.
New regulations on shorter working hours for chartered bus drivers, which are to go into effect next month, would also increase costs, it added.
A five-day trip to Hokkaido is expected to cost about NT$42,900 to NT$57,900, while a five-day trip to Osaka about NT$35,900 to NT$62,900, the association said.
Tour packages to South Korea are expected to be relatively affordable, as there are more seats available on flights and airlines usually do special promotions from next month to June, association representative Lin Yue-hyu （林岳雨） said.
A four-day or five-day tour to Seoul is expected to cost from NT$12,800 to NT$34,500, while a four-day or five-day tour to Jeju Island from NT$12,900 to NT$29,500, Lin said.
Tours to the US and Canada are expected to rise by 15 to 20 percent compared with the same period last year due to shortages of hotel staff and bus drivers, as well as rising ticket prices, association representative Lee Ying-ming （李英明） said.
Traveling eight to 10 days in the western US is expected to cost NT$71,900 to NT$99,800, while 10 days in the eastern US is expected to cost NT$119,800, he said.
Tours to Europe are expected to be 15 to 25 percent more expensive than in the same period last year due to a rising exchange rate, and higher costs of flight tickets, food and tour buses, the association said.
A tour to the Netherlands, Belgium and France for eight to 12 days is expected to cost NT$79,900 to NT$109,900, while a tour to Germany and Switzerland for 10 to 13 days is expected to cost NT$99,900 to NT$149,900, it said.
The association said that one-day domestic trips — at an estimated NT$1,200 to NT$2,000 — are expected to be popular, as accommodation fees have risen by 5 to 10 percent and there are only two long weekends this year for Tomb Sweeping Day and the Dragon Boat Festival.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
