TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Investigations by local authorities during the first half of 2019 turned up a total of 1,215 illegal hotels, some of them in the most popular travel destinations, the Tourism Bureau said Wednesday (July 17).

The statistics were based on research by local governments and on the number and amount of fines imposed on violators, the Central News Agency reported.

The investigations turned up a total of 3,390 legal hotels and 582 illegal ones, with 8,895 legal bed and breakfasts and 833 illegal ones.

The three regions with the highest number of illegal establishments were Yilan County on the northeast coast with 292 illegal hotels and B&Bs, Pingtung County, the home of beach resort Kenting, with 252, and mountainous centrally located Nantou County with 213.

According to the Tourism Bureau data, New Taipei City was the local government which had levied the heaviest fines on violators, making them pay a total of NT$11.67 million (US$375,000) from January to June 2019.

The Tourism Bureau said it was encouraging travelers to stay at legal establishments, and local associations to emphasize legal work and training.