Sun Moon Lake recovers

Most hotel and tourist spot operators agreed that business has got back to normal, or is even better than normal this year. They attributed the improvement to the enlargement of the scenery park, now stretching from Yu-che (魚池) Township on the North, Shui-she (水社) on the East and Shui-li (水里) on the South to include Shui-li Snake Kiln (水里蛇窯 ), the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village (九族文化村), Chi-chi Mountain (集集大山), Che-cheng's (車埕) and Da-kuan Power Plant (大觀電廠).

After tourism was affected by SARS from March through June, the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village promoted tourism with a 50 percent discount, bringing in crowds of students in the summer vacation. Some of these have spread into the lake-side area.

"Tourist flows to Sun Moon Lake are very susceptible to influences. Promotion activities of any kind easily brings in tourists to other spots as well," Deng said.

Lin Su-chen (林素貞), the general director of the Puli Industry and Tourism Promotion Association and proprietress of Chin Du Restaurant, near the lake, has recently spent over NT$10 million renovating her restaurant, which survived the earthquake. It's something she might never have done if it hadn't been for the earthquake, Lin said.

"Many people are curious to see how Puli and Sun Moon Lake have changed after 921. All these tourists have to pass by my restaurant, so I was willing to invest the money," Lin said. "There's a saying that goes, `There is no great construction without severe destruction before it,' so the

disaster has its positive

consequences."

Lin Kuo-long (林國隆), owner of Shui-li Snake Kiln, one of the worst hit tourist spots, said the Sun Moon Lake area gained more from the earthquake than it had lost.

"The earthquake seriously affected business for roughly one year and after that it's been a series of national-level constructions and an increased budget, which will last a long time," Lin said. The kiln will soon see a new transportation hub built at its gate, which Lin expected to bring in more business.

Lin's optimism is backed up by the long history of the kiln, which had survived numerous typhoons, other earthquakes and SARS-induced recession.

"The earthquake of 921 was one of the various natural disasters the kiln has weathered. As long as the highway is working, people will come," Lin said.

Financial assistance from the government has also encouraged businesses to try new things. For instance, now Sun Moon Lake can boast one of the popular high-end holiday hotel/spa resorts, The Lalu (涵碧樓).

The return of tourists has also brought back those who depend on them.

"If there's a major change in the Sun Moon Lake area this year, it's that tourists are back, and the hard-selling peddlers are back with them," resident Huang said.