Legalizing homestays in 12 remote townships of Nantou County is promising; 621 legal homestays to be guided

▲ Homestays within the 12 remote townships are allowed to operate in residential homes and farmhouses according to regulations. (Illustration / Photo by reporter You...)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

To promote rural tourism, the Nantou County Government stated that it will re-identify and announce the areas originally designated in 2009 (the 98th year of the Republic of China)covering the other 12 townships besides Nantou City. Regardless of whether they are within urban planning zones, these areas are now considered remote regions, and the regulations allowing homestay applications will be reinstated. Wang Yuan-chung, director of the Tourism Department, said,currently there are 621 legally registered homestays across the county, and 12 additional hotels and lodging businesses are under construction. To prioritize guest safety while also supporting tourism development, the county will guide operators in setting up legal homestays.

The county’s Tourism Department explained that according to the “Homestay Management Measures,” homestays can only be applied for in scenic areas, national parks, indigenous regions, and remote areas. However, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, in accordance with the “Promotion of Industrial Development Act,” has also designated the 12 townships in the county, excluding Nantou City, as “remote areas,” where homestays can be established.

As for the four neighborhoods in Nantou City located on Bagua Mountain—Yongxing, Fushan, Fengming, and Fengshan—which are all within the range of the Shan Shan National Scenic Area, homestays can also be applied for according to regulations. Additionally, it is considered that Nantou City is more suitable for establishing hotels rather than homestays.