Staying at universities” is the new traveling trend in Taiwan
The summer vacation is around the corner, which brings the busy season for traveling. A lot of travelers have failed in love with little campus tour. “Come to stay at the universities for one night” has become the new trend in Taiwan. Staying at the featured hotel at the universities, walking in the campus, enjoy the academic atmosphere, there is a little bit more surprise and touching added to the tour, plus the price is not very expensive.
The white house hotel at the Aletheia University on Tainan Campus is a three-storey white building. Mr. Zhang’s family from Xinzhu county has traveled to Tainan. They have lived at the White House Hotel “even though it is half hour driving to downtown, you can walk around the campus and enjoy the flower and plants. Less busyness, more nature, it is natural and free.”
“You might have not been to the White House in the America, but at least you can stay at the White House Hotel.” The head of the Recreation Department at the Aletheia University, Zhang Guowei says. The White House Hotel is the result of combination of academy and practice. To help student learn the basic skills in the catering and hotel industry. There are 38 rooms at the hotel, which is 20% cheaper than the similar level hotel.
The Fo Guang University is founded by Mahayanna Buddhist Fo Guang Shan monastic also has the “Fo University Hotel”, about 250 meters above the sea. You can overlook the Pacific Ocean an and the Guishan Island of the Yilan county. The cloud in the sky, the moon above the sea are all in front of your eyes. However, the target customers of 80 rooms are mainly the member of the Fo Guang Shan and family members of the students and the teachers at the university.
The Elite House National Kaohsuing University of Hospitality and Tourism is quiet and keeps a low profile. Many presidents and several foreign leaders have stayed at the VIP suites of the place. The head of the public relationship at the University says the hotel mainly provide accommodation and use for the practical training for the students at the university, which are used for the training of the front-desk service, room service and food and beverage. It provides student the practical training environment.
Tajen University’s “Hotel Nights” costs only 800 New Taiwan Dollar for the double bed room of one night. 34 students use the knowledge they have learnt creates the feel of “home”. They arrange the shift to provide room service, from which they learnt the whole set of cost control, hotel rules and service technique.
Also, there are schools who took the outdoor trend. The Asia-Pacific Institute of Creativity has worked with camping companies. Starting February this year, the school has opened its camping area for residents to reserve. Accompanied with featured pottery and hot-air balloon courses, there have already 200 people have experienced it.
Universities that haven’t had hotels yet, they are rushing to catch up.
Ta Hwa University of Science and Technology’s “Lequn Hotel” was just put into use last year. 17 rooms are provided for sophomore students to do their practical training. The hotel is completed filled up every holiday, which is the top choice of the many tourists.
Taipei City University of Science and Technology has invested 900 million New Taiwan Dollar last year to build the “Aiyuan Building” with 1180 beds for dormitories, hotel and sightseeing restaurant. It is estimated to open in September next year. The sightseeing restaurant on the 11th floor can overlook the whole Guandu Natural Park, Taipei 101, and the Danshui sea. The school hopes it will become the new star attractions in Taipei. The hotel is going to be used by the students from Tourism Department, Hospitality Department, Food and Beverage Department, Baking Department to have class, practice and understand the whole process of booking, preparing storage and others.
One more thing,
For schools, the idea of “Staying at the university” is not for money making. The main focus is to improve the school’s reputation, attracts more tourists to enter the campus, get to know the campus, while provide the internship opportunity for the students. So they can gain more experience before entering the job markets. The opportunity to help students transfer smoothly will also attract more student to study at the school.
The crisis of having not enough source of students have caused the number of students reduced year by year. The school with no creative marketing and low reputation will have problem surviving. To survive, all the schools are trying hard to be creative in marking. “Staying at the university” is among them. Besides, creative events have launched at the universities such as music festival and wedding shootings.
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