Long after a town rebuilds itself, its image can remain stuck in the past. Potential visitors may view the place through outdated images and previous disaster headlines. Without enough reassurance or incentives, they steer clear for longer than necessary, forgetting that the place was, and still can be, a holiday destination. This phenomenon results in a delayed, less visible disaster for residents and businesses whose livelihoods depend on tourism.
Hualien County stretches over the northeastern coast and valleys of Taiwan. The area’s economy relies on the tourism industry, which has been set back due to a history of natural disasters. For Hualien, that sector accounts for around 40 percent of the county’s employment and output value. A township within this county, Guangfu, is grappling with a particularly prolonged downturn in visitors, having weathered both the tourism fallout of a regional earthquake in 2024 and the physical devastation of floods in 2025.
Through interviews with locals and first-hand research, this piece explores the experiences of residents struggling to rebuild a town’s appeal post-disaster, and examines the government’s efforts to support tourism recovery to date. It also details what further steps the government should take to genuinely revive the economy.
This case study reveals the long-term realities of post-disaster reconstruction and the scale of government intervention needed to re-energize a local economy. It also raises wider questions for Taiwan’s resilience on the international stage: how can a destination maintain visitor confidence when natural disasters—and broader perceptions of danger—threaten tourism?
A Township Defined by Headlines
Guangfu Township, nestled in the East Rift Valley of Hualien County, Taiwan, was long known for its rural scenery, cycling routes, and indigenous culture. International tourists drawn in by Taroko Gorge, the region’s main tourist attraction in north Hualien, would make their way down the valley, stopping by Guangfu to enjoy the view and rest in the nearby hot springs. But in the last two years, the area’s tourism industry has been severely tested.
In April 2024, the Hualien earthquake dealt the first blow. Taroko Gorge was considerably damaged by the earthquake, and the highway connecting Taipei and Hualien was temporarily blocked. Images of a collapsed building in Hualien City were displayed on front pages of major global news outlets. The number of international visitors to Taiwan plummeted and domestic visitors redirected their holidays away from Hualien. No township south of the gorge was spared the impact of the drop in tourism.
This said, Guangfu was not amongst the most severely damaged areas, being situated one hour south of Hualien City by car. Residents experienced strong tremors and buildings sustained structural impacts, although the extent of the damage was not as severe as in the urban areas to the north. Much of this part of Hualien County is made up of low-rise houses surrounded by rolling farmland and mountains. The region was fortunate to largely avoid the scenes of destruction in Hualien City that dominated the news.
Nevertheless, the widely broadcasted images of the city contributed to a perception that the whole county was devastated and therefore unsafe to visit. This viewpoint remained long after the highway was opened to visitors again.
Image: Rescue workers and equipment near the dangerously-leaning Uranus Building on Xuanyuan Road in Hualien City, in the immediate aftermath of the April 3, 2024 Hualien earthquake. (Image source: ROC Presidential Office / Wikimedia Commons)
In 2024, the National Tourism Administration (交通部觀光署) offered subsidies for six months following the earthquake, in order to stimulate tourism recovery in Hualien. This included the “Hualien Independent Travel Accommodation Subsidy” (花蓮自由行住宿補助), featuring an NTD 1000 (around USD 30) rebate on the first night, with an additional NTD 1500 (around USD 47) provided on the second. This was combined with discounts on charter flights, shuttles, amusement parks and local products. With Taroko Gorge still shut, the county government diversified regional branding, releasing the video, “On the Way to Eastern Taiwan: Travel Freely with Peace of Mind,” and hosting international marketing shows alongside local spotlight events such as the 2024 World Bicycle Day. These initiatives reportedly helped tourism activities in Hualien reach pre-earthquake rates from 2025, though it is unclear what proportion of these numbers trickled down to townships in the south, such as Guangfu.
However, in September 2025, just as tourists were returning to the region, Guangfu Township faced a second blow which left a more devastating impact to the community. The overflowing of a nearby barrier lake caused flash floods, which sent mud and debris into homes and businesses. The floods also left many stranded after a lack of comprehensive evacuation notices caught locals off guard.
Fellow citizens arrived in extraordinary numbers to aid in cleanup efforts, with an estimated 30,000 volunteers appearing on September 27, and tens of thousands more in the following weeks. Li Jen-i (李仁義), the owner of breakfast shop Yonghe Doujiang (永和豆漿) in Guangfu, recalls their arrival after his shop’s cooking equipment had been washed away: “It brings tears to my eyes to remember. The warmth of Taiwanese people, you never forget that.” [1]
The government emergency response was swift. The Legislative Yuan (立法院) passed a NTD 27 billion (USD 859 million) special budget to rebuild parts of the township damaged by the floods, and offered temporary housing, reconstruction loans, and cleanup subsidies to victims. The county government dispatched 790 mud removal trucks and cooperated with the bike rental company YouBike to temporarily install bike stations.
When I visited a year later, the relief efforts of both government and private charities had significantly reduced the physical damage of the floods. Many businesses have reopened and locals await the return of visitors.
But now, a less visible crisis is unfolding in Guangfu. Many tourists still skip the township, deterred by the lingering perception that conditions there are wet and muddy at best, or dangerous at worst. Ongoing disaster-related reporting continues to dominate the media, re-enforcing the perception of Guangfu as a township still in devastation. Locals are therefore struggling to keep their businesses afloat.
Rebuilding public confidence in the township as a tourist destination is a challenge residents cannot shoulder alone. It will require a different kind of targeted, strategic support from the government.
Image: Volunteer EMT workers treat wounds in Guangfu Township (Hualien County) in the wake of massive flooding that caused extensive damage throughout the area. (Image source: Central News Agency / YouTube)
Tourist Restoration Policies Beyond Physical Recovery
Two challenges remain when it comes to sustainably revitalizing Guangfu’s economy. First, government funding in Guangfu has so far prioritized the concrete efforts of physical restoration over the more abstract needs of tourism recovery. The initial response to the floods by both the central and county governments was remarkable in both speed and scale, with much of Guangfu’s physical infrastructure restored in under a year. Now, government support should extend beyond emergency relief and employ a strategic approach to sustaining the long-term survival of local industries.
“People might have their homes again, but what can they do with no livelihood? We need further government support to promote the township and help our businesses get back on their feet,” says “Uncle Tien” (田克靚), owner of Uncle Tien’s Guesthouse (見青小築民宿), whose monthly revenue has been down by 50-80 percent since the autumn of 2025. [2]
Second, Guangfu has received limited visibility within Hualien’s wider tourism promotion efforts. The county government has continued since 2024 to launch tourism marketing campaigns to attract international and domestic visitors to the region. However, initiatives tend to be concentrated on north Hualien County and Hualien City.
A staff member managing tourism affairs at the Guangfu Township Office (光復鄉公所) confirmed to me that while the office is keen to promote Guangfu’s tourism assets, there are currently no county-level initiatives aimed at helping Guangfu boost the industry. Local officials are committed to revitalizing tourism but seemingly lack the resources and funding required to conduct sustained, large-scale promotional efforts. [3]
It is understandable that Hualien’s tourism efforts were focused elsewhere while Guangfu was still undergoing extensive physical restoration. With the township now largely cleared, though, there is a stronger case for requesting additional funding from the county or central governments for campaigns that put Guangfu at the center of tourism promotion.
A Focused Strategy for Restoring Tourist Confidence
With the help of county and central government, a tailored tourism-recovery framework could be coordinated for the township. This could include:
- More accurate, balanced information on conditions and daily life on the ground.
- Coordinated travel campaigns and incentives.
- Investment in tourism infrastructure.
First, more widely publicized information on the township’s recovery and travel conditions will help accelerate the shift in perceptions. Clear, sustained, and positive communication about regional safety and accessibility, as well as regular local government broadcasting of daily life and cultural events will rebuild the public’s trust. This includes both earthquake-related safety assurances and post-flood recovery stories.
“Many people worry that it is unsafe here. But the government has done a great deal to ensure our buildings are secure. Clearer public information on this would help reassure visitors,” says breakfast shop owner Li Jen-i. [4]
“Guangfu has recovered quickly from the floods, and life has largely returned to normal for many residents. We hope that coverage of the township can better reflect that reality,” say Laoye (盧政惠) and Juju (陳慧秋), guesthouse owners of Breadfruit B&B (麵包樹舍). They add: “People forget how accessible and peaceful this part of Taiwan is as a holiday destination.” [5]
Indeed, despite media coverage focusing primarily on areas under construction, a notable portion of the township was not touched by the floods. The main tourist attractions remain open here, such as the Matai’an Xinlü Farm (馬太鞍欣綠農園), where visitors can learn about the indigenous ecological knowledge of the Amis indigenous people (阿美族); and the Guangfu Sugar Factory (光復糖廠), which dates back to the Japanese period. Without this information to counter negative news coverage, many continue to assume Guangfu is a no-go zone.
Second, to effectively promote the township nation-wide and beyond, Guangfu needs the resources of a coordinated government-backed tourism promotion program. Eye-catching marketing campaigns showcasing the area’s rural charm and scenery could be rolled out on social media and displayed in trains, underground (MRT) stations in cities nationwide, and international airports in both Taiwn and abroad. To provide additional financial incentives for people to visit, subsidized travel packages and discounted transport tickets, akin to Hualien County’s post-earthquake discounts, could be reintroduced and adapted for Guangfu.
Image: “Laoye” (盧政惠) and “Juju” (陳慧秋), the proprietors of “Breadfruit B&B” (麵包樹舍) in the town of Guangfu (Hualien County) (July 2026). (Image source: Author’s photograph)
If the county’s existing tourism campaigns elsewhere in Hualien County are indeed proving effective, the wheel does not need to be reinvented. Government officials can build on existing initiatives and direct them where the region requires further support.
Policy lessons can also be taken from abroad. Following the 2019-2020 bushfires in Australia, tourism hotspots across New South Wales struggled with avalanches of cancellations for months. Similarly, following the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes, towns in Japan experienced protracted slumps in tourism. In both cases, government-funded campaigns and incentives helped boost the recovery of the tourism industry, which encouraged people to travel in an ordinary fashion, rather than to see residents solely as victims needing support.
Third, travel promotion and incentives in Guangfu could be matched with continued investment in tourism infrastructure. While the township is easy to reach by direct train and car hire is convenient, the government can pursue further investment in a number of transit methods to enhance the township’s accessibility. These include expanding bike hire options, improving bus services, and introducing shuttle buses between local attractions. Taiwan already boasts 84 shuttle bus routes country-wide. Until Guangfu enjoys better transport services, reliance on car travel will create barriers for those who cannot drive or who do not hold driving licenses.
Taiwan has a strong track record of strategic tourism promotion and infrastructure development. A clear tourism roadmap would build on the government’s existing strengths, putting its tools to work for a township in need of greater support.
Lessons in Post-Disaster Recovery for Taiwan and the World
Cases of natural disasters in Guangfu have shown that while physical restoration can take place remarkably quickly, the harder task is ensuring that local industries recover long-term. This experience can offer lessons that extend well beyond Taiwan. As climate change intensifies the frequency and severity of extreme weather worldwide, governments will increasingly be required to consider the protracted effects of these occurrences on local communities. Building strong strategies to ensure long-term recovery is crucial.
Taiwan, meanwhile, has particular reasons to strengthen its capacity for resilience. Its exposure to natural disasters, as well as ongoing concerns over geopolitical tensions in the Taiwan Strait, means that the government is constantly contending with international perceptions of a nation in danger. Taiwan needs to be able not only to rebuild industries after crises, but also to continuously reassure visitors that the country remains a safe and appealing destination. Guangfu offers a smaller-scale opportunity to test how strategic information sharing, combined with promotional tourism campaigns and incentives, can help reshape perceptions of a disaster-affected destination.
The main point: Effectively reviving a local economy post-disaster and rebuilding its appeal to tourists requires a long-term, targeted approach from government. This includes strategic information sharing, promotional tourism campaigns and incentives, and infrastructure building. This case study of Guangfu, Hualien County—one year after devastating floods—sheds light on the necessary scale of government intervention and the pertinence of strengthening Taiwan’s tourism resilience both regionally and nationally.
[1] Author’s interview with Li Jen-i (李仁義), the owner of breakfast shop Yonghe Doujiang (永和豆漿), July 25, 2026.
[2] Author’s interview with Uncle Tien (田克靚), owner of Uncle Tien’s Guesthouse (見青小築民宿), July 26, 2026.
[3] Author’s informal interview with Guangfu Township local official, July 24, 2026.
[4] Author’s with Li Jen-i (李仁義), the owner of breakfast shop Yonghe Doujiang (永和豆漿), July 25, 2026.
[5] Author’s interview with Laoye (盧政惠) and Juju (陳慧秋), guesthouse owners of Breadfruit B&B (麵包樹舍), July 25, 2026.
Acknowledgments: The author thanks Uncle Tien (田克靚), owner of Uncle Tien’s Guesthouse見青小築民宿; Laoye (盧政惠) and Juju (陳慧秋), owners of 麵包樹舍 Breadfruit B&B; and Li Jen-i (李仁義), owner of a breakfast shop Yonghe Doujiang (永和豆漿) for their time and insights during interviews for this article.
The post “Last Year We Needed Volunteers, This Year We Need Tourists”: Reviving Post-Disaster Tourism in Eastern Taiwan appeared first on Global Taiwan Institute.