The city has subsidized tourism enterprises with nearly 100 million yuan (US$14.35 million) and has temporarily returned quality deposits of over 400 million yuan to local travel agencies, according to the Shenzhen Municipal Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports Bureau.
The bureau announced Wednesday that it will further assist travel agencies in boosting their business and continue to provide subsidies to the enterprises at amounts determined according to their revenues in 2021.
Travel agencies with 2021 revenues equal or exceeding 10 million yuan will each receive a subsidy of 100,000 yuan, and those with lower than 10 million yuan will each receive a subsidy of 50,000 yuan. The amount of revenue is subject to the actual number provided by the city’s tax bureau.
Shenzhen rolled out a total of 30 measures to help businesses affected by COVID-19 overcome difficulties this March, including specific and targeted relief measures for sectors including culture, sports and tourism.
The bureau has offered subsidies worth as much as roughly 100 million yuan to tourist attractions, hotels and bed & breakfasts and has temporarily returned full amounts of quality deposits to travel agencies. Quality deposit is the money travel agencies pay to the local tourism authority when launching their business. The money is used to compensate aggrieved tourists who file “legitimate” complaints against tour companies.
Xiao Wei, general manager of One Tour travel agency, said that the government’s measures have helped travel agencies replenish liquidity. Xiao has great faith in tourism booming once again in the future.