Direct to Puyuma Express trains available now — Five-star hotels in Hualien and Taitung team up to offer NT$10 million in discount vouchers

Reported by Chen Tzu-yin / Taipei

Hualien and Taitung are not far at all anymore — Starting July 1, the Taiwan Railways Administration’s Puyuma Express train has officially gone into service, reducing travel time from Taipei to Hualien to just 2 hours and to Taitung to only 3.5 hours. In response, four five-star hotels — Taroko Park Hotel, Ideal Resort Hualien, Rihga Royal Hotel Sun Moon Lake, and Luye Suncity Resort — have formed an alliance called “Hualien-Taitung Five-Star Hotel Alliance HTFA,” aiming to capture the summer vacation travel market through this collaborative effort.


▲ In response to the Puyuma Express reaching Taitung, four five-star hotel operators in Hualien and Taitung have formed an alliance and launched NT$10 million in promotions. (Photo / Chen Tzu-yin)

The four five-star hotels belong to different groups, so their alliance as the “Hualien-Taitung Five-Star Hotel Alliance” is a remarkable feat in the industry. For their first joint campaign, they are offering NT$10 million in benefits, distributing 1,000 invitations to guests. Consumers can still take advantage of accommodation packages and promotional offers on the official websites of the four hotels during the peak summer season, choosing their lodging based on their own schedule. Liang Aidi, director of the Ideal Resort, said that the four participating hotels each have their own unique features. With the Puyuma Express shortening the distance between Taipei and eastern Taiwan, the alliance hopes to better promote Hualien and Taitung as tourist destinations and elevate the overall quality of the regional hospitality market through collaboration.

Liu Xilin, deputy director of the Tourism Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, stated that Taiwan has become a very important travel destination in Asia. However, the Tourism Bureau’s star-rating system for hotels is not only about assigning stars, but also aims to create more room for development — including high-quality services that allow international visitors to experience Taiwan’s “life style,” while also emphasizing talent cultivation, innovative thinking, and an international perspective.

※ The NT$1,000 discount invitation letters will be distributed to VIP members and regular customers of each hotel, as well as to partners in related corporate promotional activities. The general public can also collect them via the Facebook fan pages of Rihga and Luye Suncity, or by calling Ideal Resort. Each hotel has a limited quantity of 200 available.