Three large models of robots from the Transformers movie franchise have been put on display in Taitung County’s Beinan Township (卑南) in a bid to attract tourists to Jhiben (知本), an area famous for its hot springs.
The Beinan Township Office on Saturday placed the models on Yong Nan Bridge (勇男) over the Jhiben Creek.
They became popular with visitors and parents were seen photographing their children with the models.
Photo: CNA, courtesy of the Taitung County Government
The township rented the models for a month-long trial to evaluate the viability of a proposed Transformers-themed resort, Beinan Mayor Hsu Wen-hsien (許文獻) said.
Jhiben’s hot springs have been an important and historic part of the township’s economy, but hot springs are no longer a rarity in Taiwan, Hsu said.
The office has turned to the models to provide the area’s hot springs with a competitive edge, he said.
The models do not require much space, which is at a premium in Jhiben, Hsu said.
The office has scouted several empty lots as potential locations for the models and aims to make them permanent, he said.
The township is also planning to apply for authorization to sell licensed merchandise that could “boost tourists’ consumption,” he said.
The proposal is “70 percent finished” and would be completed before the end of next year, Hsu said.
Upon the proposal’s completion, the office would submit a request to the central government for a NT$15 million (US$501,002) grant, he said.
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