Union House Lukang (鹿港永樂酒店) plans to enter the hospitality market in Changhua County this quarter, encouraged by the government’s efforts to boost tourism in central Taiwan, senior executives said.
The one-year-old hotel operator aims to open four outlets and help 20 bed-and-breakfast properties upgrade to design or boutique hotels over the next five years.
“While the field grows increasingly crowded in the north, we believe there is still room for business growth in central Taiwan, especially in Changhua County where there are not any luxury hotels,” chief executive officer Lisa Wang (王明縈) said.
Demand for star-grade guestrooms might pick up in Lukang Township (鹿港) after the government in December last year announced plans to earmark NT$6 billion (US$197.78 million) to build the site into a national historic and scenic area, Wang said.
With 62 guestrooms priced at NT$4,500 per night on average, Union House is targeting affluent independent travelers from home and abroad, communications manager Lydia Lin (林盈君) said by telephone.
The township receives more than 10 million visitors each year, attracted by its historical sites such as the Lukang Folk Arts Museum (鹿港民俗文物館), the Remembrance Hall (意樓), Lungshan Temple (龍山寺) and Mo-Lu Lane (摸乳巷), among other attractions, Lin said.
The number of tourists might climb higher with improving infrastructure, Lin said, adding that the new hotel is within a 15-minute walk of the Changhua Railway Station.
All Union House guests can enjoy free afternoon rides through the township in rickshaws, as the hotel seeks to grow hand-in-hand with the local community, Lin said.
Union House recently became the fourth Taiwanese hotel to join Small Luxury Hotels of the World, a global league of small boutique hotels, meaning it might attract customers from around the world as local members Eclat Hotels (怡亨酒店), Hotel Royal Chiaohsi (礁溪老爺酒店) and San Want Residences Taipei (神旺商務酒店) do.
Only 5 percent of hotels worldwide have won the certification, which might lend support to Union House’s luxury status, Lin said.
Backpackers would likely stay away from the hotel given its room rates of up to NT$20,000 for the most expensive suite and the use of RAK Porcelain, a luxury tableware brand, Lin said.
The hotel operator also plans to open a second outlet in Lukang next year, an outlet in Tainan and a fourth property in Taipei’s Wanhua District (萬華), Lin said.
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