More than 1,000 hotels are expected to be certified as cyclist-friendly accommodation by the end of this year as they eye business opportunities brought by the “Year of Cycling Tourism,” the Tourism Bureau said yesterday.
The bureau said it has designated this year the “Year of Cycling Tourism” as the government focuses on creating innovative domestic tours in the post-COVID-19 era.
“We are promoting the concept of ‘cyclist-friendly accommodation’ to 3,000 hotels along 16 main biking routes. Hoteliers can apply for certification if they have parking spaces for bicycles, as well as cleaning and maintenance facilities,” the bureau said.
Photo: Wang Chun-chi, Taipei Times
As of yesterday, 700 hotels had obtained the certification, it added.
The L’Hotel de Chine has worked with Giant Manufacturing to train 14 “butlers” for cyclists, who would be in charge of the safety of hotel guests, check their brakes and tires, and adjust their seats during cycling tours.
The hotel chain also offers several unique cycling tours. A “low-carbon” cycling tour to Hualien County’s Heping Township (和平), for example, would take cyclists to a small village along the Suhua Highway and Heping Eco-Industry Harbor.
Fullon Hotels & Resort, which has seven hotels across the nation, has upgraded its facilities to prepare for the cycling tourism year.
Each facility is equipped with bicycle maintenance facilities, parking spaces, bike-cleaning areas and spin dryers, as well as bike rental and bike tour services, it said.
The hotel chain offers special deals combining cycling tours with hotel stays, with more than 100 rooms being booked through the promotion, it added.
Fullon Hotel Fulong in New Taipei City’s Gongliao District (貢寮) is offering one-day cycling tours from Saturday to Aug. 31 for less than NT$1,000, where people can go cycling, have tea in the afternoon and bathe in ocean hot springs on Taiwan’s northeast coast.
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