Kaohsiung Concert Sparks Accommodation Tourism Boom; City Government Scrutinizes Hotel Price Gouging
Kaohsiung City Government is actively establishing itself as an internationally renowned concert city. In 2023, the city successfully attracted several well-known artists, both domestic and international, to perform, including New Boys, Mayday, A-mei, BLACKPINK in the first half of the year, Grasshopper, Coldplay, and Rachel Liang in October and November. The lineup for the upcoming year includes major acts like OneRepublic, Ed Sheeran, and Rod Stewart. These concert events not only boost Kaohsiung's tourism economy but also lead to a significant increase in hotel accommodation demand. However, some unscrupulous operators have taken advantage of the situation by inflating room prices, tarnishing Kaohsiung's tourism image.
To address this issue, the Kaohsiung City Government Tourism Bureau, in collaboration with consumer protection officials, has recently initiated inspections of hotel room prices. Violators found engaging in price gouging will face penalties to ensure consumer rights and protect visitors who come to Kaohsiung for concerts, allowing them to have an enjoyable and secure stay in the city.
Director of the Tourism Bureau, Gao Minlin, stated that during every concert in Kaohsiung, hotel accommodations are often in high demand. For the two concerts on November 11 featuring the British band Coldplay and Rachel Liang, the booking rate in the city area exceeded 80%, providing a positive boost to the local tourism industry. However, some hotel operators took advantage of the situation by inflating room prices. To curb this practice during the two concerts on November 11, the Tourism Bureau has once again launched inspections on room prices. In this special inspection, 13 hotels were examined, and CitySuites Love River and Jen Dow International Hotel in Kaohsiung's Pier-2 Art Center were found to have exceeded the prices reported to the Tourism Bureau. Subsequent penalties ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 NTD will be imposed, and the violators will be publicly disclosed in accordance with regulations.
Gao Minlin mentioned that many people have complained about the high prices of domestic accommodations. In order to maintain the tourism image of Kaohsiung and ensure that guests can stay in reasonably priced, safe, hygienic, and high-quality service hotels, the Tourism Bureau has actively conducted multiple inspections in collaboration with the city's Consumer Protection Officer. They have also intensified efforts to educate accommodation providers, advising them against inflating room prices during major festivals, holidays, or concerts. The Tourism Bureau will continue to proactively inspect hotel room prices, employing strict supervision, inspections, penalties, and other measures to actively uphold the quality of tourism and accommodations while safeguarding consumer rights.
The Tourism Bureau emphasized that, to ensure the sustainable development of the local tourism industry, accommodation providers should register their room prices with the regulatory authorities. They should also voluntarily set prices for regular and holiday periods without deviating from market trends. During festivals, long weekends, or major events when there is an increase in tourist crowds and accommodation demand, businesses are urged not to maliciously inflate prices. The bureau encourages industry players to collectively uphold Kaohsiung's tourism image, ensuring that visitors have an enjoyable stay. The Tourism Bureau reminds travelers to check if an accommodation is a legal establishment with approved room rates by visiting the Taiwan Accommodation Network or contacting the Tourism Bureau. In case of consumer disputes, individuals can use the online complaint system of the Executive Yuan Consumer Protection Office, call the hotline "1950" for inquiries, or contact the Kaohsiung City Government Tourism Bureau at (07-7409802).
