Taiwan’s domestic tourism and hotel industries are suffering from the COVID-19 outbreak. However, campsites emphasizing their locations within the great outdoors, are bucking the trend. Bookings are stable and even on the up, with some sites reporting they are already fully-booked through to the Dragon Boat Festival. Those within the industry believe the reason for the increased interest is mainly because guests are able drive to campsites under their own steam, thereby negating the need to use public transport. Additionally, campsites allow guests to enjoy an entire day outdoors without the usual frenetic itinerary, dashing from one scenic spot to another. Guests can relax in relative isolation, far from the madding crowd and the airless confines of a hotel room.
Yilan County’s hotel industry has seen a sharp decline in the number of bookings this month, while the usually thriving five-star hotel sector is reporting that room occupancy rates have slumped to 30 percent. Many of the smaller sized hotels are encouraging their staff to take annual leave and even closing for refurbishment as a way to reduce wage costs.
Wang Jung-sung runs Syano Campsite in Yilan County’s Datong Township accomodates a total of 18 pitches. The campsite has been able to maintain a stable occupancy rate during weekdays throughout the virus outbreak — even increasing occupancy by 30 percent during weekends — and Wang says he currently has bookings all the way up to the Dragon Boat Festival. Wang adds that parents and children alike enjoy the act of camping: everything from pitching the tent and cooking meals fills the day with a full set of fun activities.
Photo: Chang Yi-cheng, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者張議晨
Taiwan has undergone a camping trend in recent years, with campsites throughout the nation experiencing rapid growth. There are approximately 80 campsites in Yilan County, most of which are clustered around Jiaosi, Toucheng, Datong and Nanao townships. Chen Chun-yu, director of the Yilan County Camping Industry Development Council, says that the council’s members have not yet experienced any impact from the COVID-19 outbreak. Conversely, Chen says members have actually seen an increase in business and adds that there will be opportunities for expansion in the near future with more people traveling outside of urban areas as a way to escape the epidemic.
(Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times)
國內旅宿業受武漢肺炎疫情衝擊，不過，主打親近自然的露營區卻異軍突起，入住率持穩甚至增加，假日熱門，有的營區帳位已被預定到端午節。業者認為是露營遊客以自駕為主，營區又在戶外可玩整天，不用四處跑景點，住宿環境與旅館等密閉空間不同，人群接觸少，成為出遊熱門選項。
宜蘭縣住宿業三月住宿率大幅下滑，平時業績長紅的五星級飯店，三月住房率僅剩三成，還有多家旅館「鼓勵」員工休假，甚至提前閉館「整修」，減少人事開銷。
大同鄉「夏諾營」業者王榮松經營四年，擁有十八個帳位，平日入住率與疫情爆發前持平，但假日業績增加約三成，預約單排至端午節。他指出，露營是親子同樂的活動，搭帳篷、煮飯就能玩一整天。
台灣近年吹起露營熱潮，各縣市露營區雨後春筍冒出來，宜蘭縣目前約有八十處露營區，集中在礁溪、頭城、大同、南澳等地。宜蘭縣露營產業發展協會理事長陳俊宇指出，協會會員普遍未受疫情影響，業績持平甚至增加，仍有發展機會，他看旺未來「逃疫」出遊的露營市場。
(自由時報記者張議晨)
A: Yet another shopping mall has just opened in Taipei. B: Do you mean the Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Nangang? A: Yeah, the shopping mall run by Japanese Mitsui & Co. opened last week. B: I hear the mall features about 300 stores, Vieshow Cinemas and Japanese Lopia supermarket. A: With the opening, a war is breaking out between Taipei’s department stores. A: 台北又有新的購物商場可逛啦。 B: 你是說Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport 南港？ A: 對啊這家日本三井集團旗下的商場上週開幕。 B: 聽說商場有威秀影城、樂比亞日系超市，還有多達300家專櫃。 A: 新商場一開幕，看來又要掀起一場百貨大戰啦！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
A: Hey, didn’t you go to the opening of the Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Nangang last week? B: Yeah, there are about 300 shops, including the first overseas branch of Japan’s Mahou Dokoro — a famous Harry Potter-themed store. A: Wow, I’ve always wanted to get a magic wand. B: There are also a bunch of great restaurants, such as Smart Fish hotpot restaurant. A: I wish I had Harry Potter’s “apparition” and “disapparition” magic, so I could teleport to the mall right now. A: 你上週不是有去LaLaport南港的盛大開幕嗎？有什麼特別的？ B: 那裡有多達300家專櫃，包括魔法之地的海外首店——它可是日本知名的《哈利波特》專賣店。 A: 哇我一直想買根魔杖。 B: 另外還有各式各樣的美食，像是林聰明沙鍋魚頭。 A: 真希望我也有哈利波特的「現影術／消影術」魔法，能瞬間移動到商場去！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
When it comes to movies, some people delight in watching spine-chilling horror films. Surprisingly, apart from containing a few scares, horror movies may also offer an unexpected __1__. According to a study, watching 90 minutes of a scary movie can burn an average of 113 calories, which is roughly __2__ to taking a 30-minute walk. Researchers from the University of Westminster carried out an experiment in which they __3__ participants’ oxygen intake, carbon dioxide output, and heart rates while they were watching horror movies without any distractions. The results revealed that physiological responses to fear play a crucial role
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