TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Kaohsiung City Tourism Bureau has fined four hotels between NT＄10,000 and NT＄50,000 for inflating room rates ahead of British band Coldplay's concerts scheduled on Nov. 11-12 at the Kaohsiung National Stadium.
To prevent the tourism and accommodation industry from taking advantage of the opportunity to drive up hotel room prices, the Tourism Bureau, in conjunction with the consumer ombudsmen, proactively conducts hotel room rate inspections.
According to reports, they found four hotels' room rates hiked over the approved prices. One hotel even saw an increase of up to 60%, leading to a hefty fine of NT＄50,000.
The Kaohsiung City Government is putting substantial efforts into turning the city into a major global concert destination. Performances by international and domestic acts like Backstreet Boys, Mayday, A-Mei, BLACKPINK, and Ed Sheeran in 2023 reflected the city's efforts.
Not only did these events stimulate the city's tourism economy, but they also bolstered demand for hotel accommodations. However, this has led some operators to exploit these situations, skyrocketing room prices.
The director of the Tourism Bureau, Kao Min-Lin, has called on industry operators not to inflate prices during festivals, major events, or concerts.
The Tourism Bureau said that it would continue to take the initiative to inspect hotel room rates, actively maintain the quality of tourism and accommodation through strict supervision, inspections, and fines, and protect the rights and interests of consumers.