On January 4, 2016, Changhua County Government has announced the “remote areas” where home stays are legally allowed to be established in order to promote the development of tourism in the county. On the 8th, Tian Fei-peng, the head of the Department of City and Tourism hosted a conference at the Coffee Gallery in front of the Information Department at 6F of Changhua Government Building. Mr. Tian expressed that Changhua County Government has opened applications for establishing home stays in the remote areas. Other than Changhua City and Yuanlin City, where home stay is not allowed to be established legally, establishing home stays is permitted in the remaining 24 towns and townships both in and outside of the project zones if the applications meet the requirements. People can apply for at the Department of City and Tourism, Changhua County Government from now on.
The Department of City and Tourism, Changhua County Government expressed that according to the document (ref. Guan-Bin-Zi No. 0920006119) issued by the Ministry of Transportation and Communication on March 5, 2003, it regards the interpretation of Article 2 of the Regulations to “The Tax Credit of Investment to Companies Investing in Areas of Scanty Resources or Slow Development” that is made in accordance with Item 2, Article 7 of the “Statute for Upgrading Industry” as the definition of “remote areas.” According to this definition, only 11 townships – Fangyuan Township, Dacheng Township, Chutang Township, Xizhou Township, Tianwei Township, Erlin Township, Peitou Township, Yongjing Township, Fenyuan Township, Puxin Township, and Puyan Township are the areas legally allowed for the applications of establishing home stays. However, that statue was suspended on May 12, 2010. At present, in accordance with the “Regulations for the Management of Home Stay Facilities,” the county government is authorized to delimit the definition of remote areas to consolidate the development of tourism in Changhua.
At present, there are 26 home stays in Changhua, with 7 of them in Tianwei, 5 in Fangyuan, 4 in Fenyuan, which are the top 3 home stay areas. The townships that comply with newly added definition of “remote areas” can apply for the establishment of home stays at the Department of City and Tourism from now on. The criteria for the applications are legal residences and farms. However, condominiums and underground premises are excluded from the application. All applicants should have the application forms, legal documents of lands and premises, photos of the interior and exterior parts of the home stays and facilities, and documents required by other departments, such as fire-fighting and security inspection, and more. Once the applications are approved, applicants can become home stay owners.
Source: Changhua County Government website