Local governments begin fight for voucher business

The move follows various discounts announced by a growing number of private enterprises in a bid to woo customers.

The Cabinet formally forwarded a budget plan to the Legislative Yuan seeking approximately NT$857 billion fund after Premier Liu Chao-shiuan held a special meeting Monday to approve the program to give consumption vouchers worth NT$3,600 to each of the nation’s citizens to help stimulate business activities amid worldwide economic slowdown.

“Consumption voucher” has become the hottest term on the Internet in Taiwan.

Companies with Web pages have given top priority to attracting voucher holders to purchase their products and services since a family of four will have a total of close to NT$15,000 at disposal.

In addition to offering deep discounts, many firms accept advance reservations for sightseeing tours or special packages that let customers enjoy now and pay later.

Some bakeries, whose business tumbled after the reports of dairy products and leavening agent contaminated with melamine imported from China will give each member of a household one birthday cake that will be paid for with the vouchers.

One leading supplier of biscuits and candies promised to give NT$8,000 worth of products when paid with the NT$3,600 vouchers.

Travel agencies are offering one-day tours of 10 to 12 hours to the frontline offshore county of Kinmen with the vouchers

As part of their duties to help drum up economic development in their districts, several administrators have joined the promotion foray.

Miaoli County Magistrate Liu Cheng-hung will offer 10 sedans, 100 flat panel TV sets, and gift coupons ranging from NT$3,000 to NT$5,000 in denominations as raffle prizes for consumers who use the consumption vouchers in Miaoli.

With an aim of offering the “biggest” grand prize related to the shopping vouchers, Taichung Mayor Jason Hu revealed the trophies will include one apartment with a floor space of at least 50 ping (1 ping = 36 sq ft), three sedans priced at least NT$70,000 each.

The key purpose of offering enticing prizes is not only to encourage people make consumption in their hometown but also lure more outsiders to travel to their areas.

Most county chiefs and mayors are also gearing up to offer incentives to lure more people to spend the money in their areas.

But they are mostly averse to revealing the details at present fearing their ideas might be usurped by others.

In order to outsmart neighboring counties or cities, some administrators have offered awards to solicit workable ideas to attract more customers.

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