'A life-or-death situation': Thousands march to demand gov't help tourismTAIPEI, Taiwan -- Around 5,000 people braved the rain Monday for a protest aimed at "waking the government" to what they said was the tourism sector's dire condition and urgent need of support. Wearing yellow and white headbands reading "Jobs and survival" and T-shirts saying "This is a life-or-death situation for the tourism sector," they marched from outside the Democratic Progressive Party headquarters to the Presidential Office. According to the Tourism Industry Alliance, the ad hoc group organizing the protest -- labor union members from 11 tourism-related business areas, including travel agencies and hotels -- traveled from across the country to join the march. The group said last week that the event was to be apolitical and that shows of support of any kind from political parties would be unwelcome. Organizers had expected more than 10,000 protesters, but the police put the actual attendance at just over 5,000.

Source: The China Post September 12, 2016 07:41 UTC