The China Post
Date: January 2, 2017
By: The China Post news staff
TAIPEI, Taiwan — The highly-anticipated fireworks display in front of Taipei 101 once again lit up the New
Year’s celebrations in Taipei — but turnout proved a damp squib, with attendances down on last year.
This year, the city’s public works department set up 18 alternative spots and four riverside parks for viewing the spectacle. These included numerous vistas located on the trails of Xinyi District’s Elephant Mountain and Tiger Mountain, as well as along Wenshan District’s Flying Dragon trail.
According to the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC), ridership on the city’s subway from 6 a.m. Dec. 31 to 6 a.m. Jan. 1 was around 2.64 million, down roughly 390,000 in comparison to the same period last year.
The TRTC attributed the drop to the fact that the New Year’s Eve fell on a weekend this year.
Some, however, have expressed concern that countdown shows in Taiwan were losing their spark, as big-name stars opted to perform at New Year’s events in mainland China. [FULL STORY]