The local tourism industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s despite the fact that the economic outlook for Taiwan is not only positive, but also hit a nine and a half year high.
The COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a heavy blow to Hsiao-duo, a flight attendant for more than four years. Hsiao-duo has been on unpaid leave since last March. To eke out a living, she took a part-time job as a saleswoman.
Hsaio-duo, however, is optimistic about the future. She said although the pandemic is still pretty serious, now that vaccinations are in place and border restrictions are lifted, she believes that the aviation industry will prosper in the near future.
Ms. Liao, a tour group leader, also managed to survive by moonlighting. She used to make NT$200,000 (US$6,660) a month, now she earns only a tenth of that. Liao said she bought an apartment before the pandemic because she thought she had a steady income. She says she’s taking one day at a time as the government allows her to postpone paying the mortgage loans.
Mr. Lin, a fluent Japanese speaker, also lost a job opportunity. He landed a job in Japan, but the rising COVID-19 cases there led to a sudden hiring freeze so it didn’t work out.