Howard Hotel Group (福華飯店集團), the nation’s largest hospitality company by number of rooms, on Monday signed an agreement with National Taiwan University’s College of BioResources and Agriculture to jointly operate a hotel in the Xitou Nature Education Area (溪頭自然教育園區) in Nantou County’s Lugu Township (鹿谷).
The management contract adds one more property, Howard Resort Xitou (溪頭福華渡假飯店), to the portfolio run by Howard after it beat two competitors to win the 12-year contract that could be extended by another 10 years if the hotel’s financial performance meets expectations, the Taipei-based company said.
The group plans to spend NT$100 million (US$3.51 million) in the next two years renovating the property of 211 guest rooms in four buildings, Howard Hotel chairman Liao Po-his (廖伯熙) said, adding that the group would be aiming to achieve annual revenue of NT$180 million to NT$190 million in 2023.
Liao said that he is upbeat about the new venture, as the education area is one of the nation’s most popular tourist attractions, drawing 279,311 visitors in July this year, a record high since it opened 50 years ago.
The strong showing came partly because the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted people to assign more importance to their health and well-being, a trend that would benefit the Howard Resort Xintou, he said.
The property, run under the Leader Hotel (立德) brand between 2004 and 2018, has an average room rate of NT$2,500 per night, and Howard Hotel would be seeking to raise that to NT$3,000, he added.
That goal is achievable given its location in a national forest park served by the Taiwan Shuttle Bus Service (台灣好行), as well as local buses from Taichung High Speed Rail Station, Howard Hotel chief executive officer Liao Shiew-mei (廖秀梅) said, adding that it would make the hotel an attractive destination for families and students, as well as for corporate meetings.
Room rates would range from NT$2,000 to NT$10,000 per night following the renovations, Liao Shiew-mei said, adding that the hotel would feature the company’s Shabu Shabu brand, Smile One, as well as Chinese and buffet restaurants.
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