The tourism industry in the central county of Nantou has been hit hard by COVID-19. Even the county’s most famous attraction, Sun Moon Lake, has not been spared.
The skywalk at Cingjing Farm has always been a favorite attraction in Nantou County, but COVID-19 has shown what a pandemic can do to even the most popular tourist spots. While the skywalk offers spectacular views, fears over the highly contagious disease mean that these days, there’s barely anyone around to enjoy them.
One local worker says that the farm used to attract 700 to 800 tourists every weekend. Now, only 200 to 300 people show up on an average day.
Nantou County’s street food vendors are hurting too. One local dining area that was once reliably packed is now almost empty, with only one or two tables occupied. A nearby vendor told our reporter that he had only sold two rice sausages that day, earning the equivalent of just US$2.00.
Statistics released by the county government show that the number of visitors since December has dropped by more than half when compared with the same period the previous year.
When people think of Nantou County, they think of Sun Moon Lake. But even this iconic spot is deserted. The only people on the streets around the lake are locals. One woman says there are more birds than visitors these days. For this tourism-dependent county especially, the end of COVID-19 can’t come soon enough.