讀後心得

On April 3, 2024, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Hualien. One year later, while the urban area has been restored, the tourism industry has yet to recover. Local operators indicate that the main issues are the lack of new attractions, high transportation costs, and a shrinking domestic travel market. Hotel operators point out that many hotels have closed due to operational difficulties, resulting in a significant drop in average occupancy rates. The restaurant industry is also facing challenges in transformation, with small restaurants under market pressure experiencing a noticeable decline in revenue. Surveys show that the reasons for the lack of visitors are mainly economic factors and insufficient attraction of the sites. Despite the introduction of international flights, they have still not effectively attracted tourists. Operators hope for large events and sustainable tourism plans in the future to enhance the quality of tourism.

At 7:58 AM on April 3, 2024, Hualien experienced a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 on the Richter scale, making it the largest earthquake since the 921 earthquake. One year later, although the streets in the city have been repaired, the crowd at Dongdamen Night Market has gradually increased, and tour buses have returned to the square in front of the station, on the surface, Hualien appears to have returned to normal. However, local operators are filled with concerns about the future. Although Mayday's "Night Market King" is still being performed, and the tourism bureau is providing subsidies, along with Hong Kong Express Airways offering direct flights to Hualien, has Hualien's tourism industry really recovered?

According to statistics from the president of the Hualien County Hotel and Commercial Industry Association, among 135 members, 22 have chosen to suspend operations or exit, with an additional 3 expected to close this year, accounting for about 20% of the total. Over the past year, Hualien's average occupancy rate has dropped from 70% before the earthquake to 20% on regular days, and only 50% during long holidays.

There are three reasons for the sluggish tourism industry: lack of new attractions, high transportation costs, and the overall decline in the domestic travel market. Operators pointed out that the round-trip train ticket price from Hualien to Taipei is about 1000 NTD, while a one-way plane ticket can soar above 3000 NTD, which is similar to the fare of budget airlines flying to South Korea, creating huge competitive pressure. Moreover, the related fare increases, the incoming typhoon season, and road issues have greatly concerned operators.

Some new attractions have also underperformed, such as the "General's Mansion," which opened last year. Although the flow of visitors slightly increased, the duration of their stay was very short, making it difficult to stimulate consumption. Operators noted that many tourists hurriedly boarded buses after less than 15 minutes at various attractions, making it hard for operators focused on deep experiences to compete with day trip models.

In the restaurant industry, Hualien's dining establishments are also facing changes. For instance, "Black Gold Tong" has transformed into "Wild Light," and in the face of competition, they can only lower the average spend per customer to increase frequency of visits. However, several restaurants have closed down due to their inability to cope with market changes. Operators expressed that even while enduring losses, they continue to wait for opportunities to turn profits, only to find a significant decrease in foot traffic.

Regarding the future outlook for tourism in Hualien, operators believe there is a need to improve tourism product design and marketing. While partnering with Hong Kong Express Airways for direct flights and planning to launch more international flights, these efforts are still insufficient. Operators pointed out that the lack of appealing tourism products is the biggest problem at present, especially with an inadequate number of international visitors, benefiting only some accommodation providers.

Finally, Hualien's tourism operators hope to introduce more large-scale events and sustainable tourism projects in the future, thereby enhancing the quality of tourism and improving the current situation.