Taichung is under fire for making its extra travel perks a prize draw instead of cash, which is bad for the city's hotels and shoppers as rival counties hand out money directly.

• Taiwan's transport ministry starts a domestic travel subsidy on September 1, worth billions of NT dollars, covering weekday stays through the end of November.
• Travelers get 800 NT for one night and 1,200 for a second, but both nights must fall on weekdays.
• Taichung's own top-up is all lottery-based, so visitors may get nothing, while New Taipei gives 1,000 in local currency for finishing a themed route and Hsinchu adds 500 to 1,000 per night.
• Hualien goes furthest, paying for long stays that can total 7,000 NT over twelve nights.
• Councilors want Taichung to pay a straight 200 NT voucher per night instead, noting the city's shopping festival tie-in does not even begin until late October.

Outlook: City officials say they will discuss a direct subsidy with the economic development department, but nothing is promised before the program opens next week.