By / MOOK Travel Life Network Editorial Team

Starting July 1, 2014, the Taroko Express Puyuma train officially began service, significantly reducing the travel time from Taipei to Taitung to just 3.5 hours. “Puyuma” means “unity” in the Paiwan language. Four distinctive five-star hotels in Hualien and Taitung — Taroko Park Hotel, Hualien Ideal Resort, Rihpyi International Resort in Taitung’s Chishang, and Laiyi Hotel in Taitung’s Zhiben — on June 16, the day of the Puyuma train’s 12% advance purchase discount, joined forces to form the “Hualien Taitung Five-Star Hotel Alliance (HTFA).” This collaboration creates a five-star holiday experience, marking the first such initiative in Taiwan’s tourism industry and fully embodying the spirit of unity.

The “Hualien Taitung Five-Star Hotel Alliance HTFA” launched its first joint marketing alliance, generously giving away millions in gifts and distributing 10,000 $1,000 discount vouchers, allowing consumers to choose from current accommodation packages on the alliance’s four hotel websites based on their travel plans. During the upcoming summer peak season, travelers can enjoy the small joy of saving money while staying at five-star hotels.

For travelers from northern Taiwan, the journey to Hualien and Taitung used to take a long time, but with the launch of the Puyuma train, the distance for visitors from northern Taiwan has been greatly reduced, which will also reshape the domestic tourism landscape — traveling to Hualien and Taitung is no longer a distant dream. The alliance of the “Hualien Taitung Five-Star Hotel Alliance HTFA” further upgrades the convenience and quality of travel and leisure in the region. Besides meaning “unity,” Puyuma also represents the Nanwang Tribe of the Puyuma people in Taitung. Golden Melody Award winner A-mei Chang’s song “Hometown Puyuma” blends nostalgia and love for her hometown, subtly showcasing the beauty of Puyuma through her angelic voice. Riding the Puyuma train is like heading to a beautiful destination.

Laiyi Hotel General Manager Lin Wei-te, who was instrumental in bringing together the four hotels of the “Hualien Taitung Five-Star Hotel Alliance HTFA,” said: “Hualien and Taitung are part of a national scenic area, boasting beautiful natural resources, rich ecological diversity, and unique cultural heritage, forming a one-of-a-kind tourism landscape. Taroko Park Hotel, Hualien Ideal Resort, Rihpyi International Resort in Taitung’s Chishang, and Laiyi Hotel in Taitung’s Zhiben are all five-star hotels certified by the Tourism Bureau in the Hualien-Taitung region and are premium accommodations where visitors can experience local culture.”

The establishment of the “Hualien Taitung Five-Star Hotel Alliance HTFA” means that Hualien and Taitung will no longer compete as separate regions. Through the alliance’s cooperative platform for joint marketing, tourism services are expanded, creating a win-win situation where consumers benefit and local tourism businesses thrive. In addition to the initial joint distribution of 10,000 $1,000 discount vouchers, the launch of the Puyuma train is expected to attract more domestic and international independent travelers to Hualien and Taitung. In the future, the four hotels will also collaborate more closely in marketing activities, information sharing, and resource exchange, aiming to collectively enhance the quality of Hualien and Taitung’s tourism and leisure offerings, so that visitors can enjoy a refined travel experience in the region.

The first-ever collaboration of four distinctive five-star hotels is not only a major event in the tourism industry but also a historic milestone. The planning team of the “Hualien Taitung Five-Star Hotel Alliance HTFA” further explained that each hotel has its own style, and the surrounding attractions are all recommended leisure destinations in the Hualien-Taitung area: the canyons and streams of Taroko National Park, the magnificent scenery of the Huatung Valley, the overlapping green mountains and fields of golden rice, and premium hot springs. Starting now, with an investment of millions, 10,000 $1,000 discount vouchers are being given away to be used on current accommodation packages on the four hotels’ official websites. Guests staying at the “Hualien Taitung Five-Star Hotel Alliance HTFA” hotels will get to explore the most essential attractions in Hualien and Taitung and experience top-tier comfort and leisure quality.
 

Region	Hotel	Booking Information
Hualien	Taroko Park Hotel	Bookings only via official website (excluding accommodation voucher discounts)
	Hualien Ideal Resort	1. Discount applicable to suite room type packages 2. This promotion is only valid for discount vouchers and bookings made via the official website   or through manual reservations
Taitung	Rihpyi International Resort Rihpyi International Resort in Taitung’s Chishang	1. Voucher applicable only to VILLA room types (one per villa per night) 2. Can be used for all packages unless otherwise specified
	Laiyi Hotel	Applicable to the hotel’s current seasonal package deals 1. Applicable to all room types for stays of three nights (or more) 2. Available for family rooms (inclusive) and above for two-day, one-night stays only

 

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