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TAIPEI: The tourist authority plans a major initiative to draw visitors back to the Sun Moon Lake scenic area, amid mounting concerns that the swine flu outbreak has taken a toll on Taiwan's tourist industry, an official said yesterday.

On the strength of Taiwan's opening to mainland tourists, the island's two main tourist attractions - Sun Moon Lake and Alishan - were hardly affected by the global economic downturn in the first half of this year. Even after Typhoon Morakot ravaged southern Taiwan in early August, the number of tourists to Sun Moon Lake remained high.

"However, in mid-August the situation began to change," said Tseng Kuo-chi, director of the Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration under the Tourism Bureau, "The hotel occupancy rate in the region declined by an average of 15 percent in the second half of August as compared with the year-earlier level."

The situation deteriorated further after the new school semester began in September, Tseng said. He noted that the trend may be related to health concerns as the number of A (H1N1) influenza cases in Taiwan continues to spiral.

In the past, Tseng said, the number of visitors to Sun Moon Lake averaged 8,000 to 10,000 daily, even on school days.

"This year, that number has dropped to half since schools reopened after the summer vacation, because many schools have canceled field trips and graduation travel plans over health concerns," said Tseng.

Against this backdrop, Tseng said his agency has asked tour buses and yacht operators to provide face masks for passengers as part of the efforts to prevent the spread of the H1N1 flu virus.

Moreover, he said, a number of promotional events will be staged in the next two months to lure visitors to the area.

In addition, if all goes smoothly, Tseng said, the much-anticipated Sun Moon Lake gondola system will begin commercial operations on October 16, becoming the focus of a new tourist promotion drive.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 09/08/2009 page2)