By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network, Reported and Compiled by Li Xinyi
The Tourism Bureau’s “StarHotels 1+1” campaign to find hotel and homestay stars has drawn passionate participation from businesses across the country since its launch, with 260,000 page views. Currently, there are 50 contestant stars in the hotel and homestay categories—some competing solo, others with colleagues who have shared hardships. From mascots to Ken-Ting’s sea-view singing dachshund Latte, Jackie Chan singing at Shan Yue Village, dual-PhD homestay owners, an Indian executive chef, and even 3-year-old and 9-month-old kids have joined the competition.
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The owner of Yunshan Homestay enjoys introducing guests to the history and heritage of Jin-Gua-Shi. (Photo by MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network, Li Xinyi)
A particularly noteworthy story is that of Wu Jiaying, a special education student at Yilan’s Fengchunyuan, who serves as a little angel. After a year of hard work, she moved from backstage to frontline customer service—proving that nothing is out of reach with determination. Another touching tale comes from the Lalu Resort, where staff honored a mother’s final wish by taking her terminally ill mother on one last trip, playing her favorite Teresa Teng song, “I Only Care for You,” bringing tearful emotions to 100%. Also competing again is the winner of last year’s “Discover Heartfelt Stays” award, the owner of Yunshan Homestay in Jin-Gua-Shi, who submitted a video showcasing the area’s historical heritage and culture—from the hardships to the joys of running a homestay, to her initiative to revive the cable car by organizing elderly community members to clear weeds and plant lilies to welcome tourism.
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A gold panning experience led by veteran miners takes visitors back to the Japanese colonial-era gold rush days. (Photo by MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network, Li Xinyi)
The “micro-service heartwarming moments” of StarHotels 1+1 are judged based on the 3 Micro F4 seven key criteria—Micro Service, Micro Sweetness, Micro Touching, Most Passionate (Feeling), Most Distinctive (Face), Most Fun (Fun), and Most Fashionable (Fashion). Participants share heartfelt stories of serving guests, the bittersweet challenges of handling difficult customers, and emotional moments like receiving thank-you gifts from travelers—all submitted as 3-minute videos, 5 photos, and 700 words. Winners will enjoy stays at top-tier Taiwanese accommodations including Silks Club, Chateau de Chine, L’Hermitage, Ideal Resort, and The Old England, along with priority exposure on travel websites both locally and abroad. The popularity-based online voting is set to run for one month starting January 7, 2013, selecting a Top 100 Stars list, followed by a professional jury choosing 30 StarHotel winners. The StarHotels 1+1 campaign will announce its results in April 2013. For more details, visit the official campaign website: happystay.taiwan.net.tw.
● Extended Reading: Time Travel Back to the Golden Age of the Jiu-Shi Mine
http://goo.gl/YNqBV