Taiwan's national domestic travel subsidy kicks off September 1, and Taichung lawmakers say the city is not ready to cash in — a mild negative for local hotels and shopping districts if nothing changes.

• The subsidy runs only three months, from September through the end of November.
• More than 320 of Taichung's 500-plus licensed hotels have already signed up.
• Democratic Progressive Party councilors say the city's hotel listings and guides are too hard to find, and want one clear information portal.
• They also want hotels, night markets, shopping districts and tourist factories linked into full itineraries so visitors stay overnight instead of passing through.
• Local street food like da mian geng and ma yi is getting ignored in favor of Michelin promotion, they argue, costing Taichung a food identity other cities have built.

Outlook: The tourism bureau says it will keep pushing hotel guides alongside shopping-festival and gift promotions, so the real test is whether overnight stays and local spending pick up before the subsidy expires at the end of November.