《TAIPEI TIMES》Wutai Township touts sustainable tourism successes

By Lo Hsin-chen and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Pingtung County’s Wutai Township （霧台） yesterday showcased the achievements and efforts of the nation’s first natural and social-ecological park on indigenous land in implementing sustainable tourism.

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Democratic Progressive Party County Commissioner Chou Chun-mi （周春米） presented licenses to 38 people who had completed their tourist certification training at the ceremony.

MONEY MATTERS

Chou called it an impressive feat that the park had generated NT$180 million （US$5.78 million） over three years for the three villages in the park: Tadiri （阿禮）, Kabalhelajan （神山） and Labuwan （大武）.

She said that ecological sustainability in the park could only be achieved with professional guides, while praising the guides’ methods in communicating to visitors the area’s landscape and local cultures.

The park, which opened to the public in 2021, includes the three villages and was since its inception geared toward ecotourism, she said, citing the Hayouxi creek （哈尤溪）, the Wutai Waterfall and the cherry blossoms near Adiri village as examples.

A rule that professional guides must accompany tourists serves to protect these sites, while encouraging indigenous people to apply to be tour guides and help protect and promote their culture, Chou said.

The guides are the park’s representatives, but they are also responsible for maintaining the condition of the park, as well as ensuring that the village cultures are passed down, she said.

AUTHENTICITY

The Pingtung County Government would continue to offer courses to encourage more young indigenous people to return to their home villages to work as guides, as having locals explain and narrate regional stories is more authentic, she said, adding that the program provides vocational opportunities and enables local culture to be passed on.

Pingtung County Government would also work with the Ministry of Transportation and Communications’ Maolin National Scenic Area Administrative Office and other agencies to assist in recruiting more guides, she added.

The Pingtung County Transportation and Tourism Development Office said that all guides are village residents in Wutai, and had all been trained for the job.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES