Hualien sightseeing train launches with sea, land, and air tourism push

Tourism operators have launched various travel packages such as the Taroko Gorge light travel tour. (Photo by Hsu Chia-ning)

Tourism operators have launched various travel packages such as the Taroko Gorge light travel tour. (Photo by Hsu Chia-ning)

Hualien County welcomed over 10 million visitors last year, yet local hoteliers still said they “didn’t feel it,” with overall accommodation rates dropping by about 30% compared to the previous year. On February 10, 2,000 local lodging businesses officially launched the “Heart of Hualien” Puyuma sightseeing train to tackle the issue of difficult train ticket bookings, hoping to revive Hualien’s struggling tourism industry.

In addition to the “Blue Highway” Linalun cruise, Hualien tourism operators have also introduced sightseeing train packages that include both transportation and accommodation for two days and one night, with promotional prices starting as low as NT$1,499 per person. Some operators have also partnered with Uni Air, Mandarin Airlines, and Taiwan Tourist Shuttle to offer flight-plus-hotel deals, with three-day-two-night packages starting from just NT$3,999, aiming to attract more tourists to explore Hualien at a leisurely pace and boost overall hotel occupancy rates.

Jackson Chang, general manager of Guoguo Travel Agency, said that this year’s three-day-two-night flight-plus-hotel promotional packages offered in collaboration with various operators provide guests with a wide range of accommodation options. In addition to staying in five-star hotels, the packages also include light travel tours such as a Japanese-style excursion to the Hualien Sugar Factory, a hot spring journey through the Ruisui Valley, and a Taroko Gorge light travel experience. The goal is to attract more visitors to explore Hualien.

Chang pointed out that the Taiwan Sugar Hualien Hotel in Guangfu Township, which has joined this year’s offerings, is the most well-preserved and largest remaining complex of Japanese wooden buildings in Taiwan. For those looking to soak in hot springs during the winter and spring seasons, don’t miss the Ruihiong Hot Spring Villa, known as the “Golden Spring,” where you can enjoy the area’s first excavated hot spring pool in a semi-open-air hot and cold dual bath.