U.S. Hotel Chains Debut Presence In Taiwan Biz Centers

<B> U.S. Hotel Chains Debut Presence In Taiwan Biz Centers</B>

By Judy Jacobs

Taiwan, bolstered by a steady economy and increasing investment in its manufacturing infrastructure, soon will see the addition of two hotels. While few major hotels have opened in the capital in the past decade, Westin now will manage its first property in the country and Hyatt will open the first international hotel in Taiwan's leading high-tech manufacturing center.

"Taiwan has weathered the 'Asian Storm' thus far, and the business climate is quite positive," said Robert Fitzner, the newly appointed general manager of the upcoming Westin Taipei. "Taiwan's growth rate is pegged at 5 percent for 1998 with consumer prices growing by only 1.3 percent, while consumer spending is up nearly 7 percent. In general, exports to the United States and Europe are still stable, while exports to the Asian markets have gone down noticeably. In addition, both the property and stock markets have remained stable in 1998."

The country's economic stability means that it will continue to develop as a business travel destination, Westin is betting. It will open the Westin Taipei next September.

The reasons few hotels have been built when existing properties register high occupancies are varied, said Starwood spokesperson Nelli Yong. "Land in Taiwan is very difficult to obtain and the cost is very high. Developers seeking to maximize the land plot ratio to yield may prefer to build office buildings and condominiums, instead of hotels, which may not offer as high a yield. Also, very little land in Taipei's central business district is zoned for hotel use, which is why there is not much new hotel construction, and why the construction of The Westin Taipei in such a prime area is of such importance."

The Westin Taipei, in the heart of the city's central business district, will include among its 317 guest rooms several of Westin's Guest Office rooms, which double as offices and include in-room fax/printer/copiers, dual line phones with dataports, MacIntosh and IBM-compatible printer cables and surge protectors, and large work desks.

The hotel also will contain a comprehensive business center, with a business library and lounge, conference rooms, offices, work stations and a full range of supporting business services. Meeting facilities with state-of-the-art equipment will accommodate up to 800 people for meetings and 550 for banquets.

Meanwhile, the government also is planning to expand its original park in Hsinchu. The 18-year-old Hsinchu Science Industrial Park last year was home to 245 high technology firms and the world's fourth largest production center for semiconductors.

HSIP's success has spurred Hyatt International to announce plans to build a 250-room Hyatt Regency, to open in 2001, as the area's first international class hotel. Taiwanese companies now operate six properties there with 1,021 rooms.

Taiwan officially opened its second industrial/science park in the southwestern coastal city of Tainan inmid-July, although factories are still in the planning and early construction phases.