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Youth group sets Wulai tourism plan

Hsu Jing-juan, first left, Chao Hsian-yi, second left, Tsai Fu-ji, third left, and Lai Yi-bo, fourth left, members of Team Gewalis, celebrate their winning an award at the National Youth Commission 2004 APEC International Youth Camp. The team was selected for its outstanding tourism business plan. PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES

Wulai's tourist economy is getting a boost, with the introduction of a business plan that has an ecological twist crafted by the aspiring entrepreneurs at yesterday's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation International Youth Camp.

"We are hoping to act as the connection between businesses and tourists," said Amy Chen (陳美如) of the camp's Team Gewalis about the tourist economy in the Aboriginal community Wulai.

Chen, a junior majoring in finance at National Taiwan University, and the five other members of the camp's Team Gewalis, demonstrated to 200 peers this Thursday that the new generation of Taiwanese businessmen will have a social welfare slant.

Team Gewalis was one of the local winners of a feasible business plan contest held by the National Youth Commission this June. Their tourism development plan, "The Way to Wulai," came as a result their community service experience, said the team.

"Three of our team members are part of an environmental protection club at National Taiwan University. Through the club, we've worked for a long time for the environment in Wulai and gotten to know the area's needs and its local people," said team leader Gavin Lee (李佳達), a National Taiwan University law student.

Wulai, a small rural community on the outskirts of Taipei, is known as a center of Atayal Aboriginal culture and is also famous for its hot springs. Although Wulai attracts many tourists each year, many of them focus only on key landmarks, said team members.

When Lee learned of the council's contest, he hammered out an environmentally-friendly business plan through local businesses. But the group went beyond conceptual business plans and actually connected with businesses to carry out the plan.

"We are implementing the plan through the Wulai Enterprise Promotion Association. Wulai's economy has historically been dominated by big business. The association is the first organization made completely of Wulai natives for Wulai," said Lee.

The team's project has already been put into action, said group members, with the association leading a first tour group last week.

The students said that they found eco-friendly tourism difficult to establish however, due to administrative difficulties.
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