"Retro" is the trendy element loved by the young generation. The antique vintage clothing, hipster coffee shops, and old house characteristics of B&Bs made the "Hundred-Year-Old Town" a popular tourist attraction in the nation. Changhua County Delicacy and Culture Tourism Association just caught the "Retro" element to promote its business.

The initial purpose of founding the association was to let more people know about Lukang. Ms. Liao Yu-ling, the CEO of the association, said it passionately. "Here are some special sights we call "Secret Spots" which we want everybody to visit, not only go to Matsu Temple to pray, check in, and then leave.

Every Old House Is a Legend at Lukang
The "Secret Spots" she said are the fading traditional environment and humanities under the magnificent temple, especially the cultural heritage that built up Lukang's historical position: the Three Heritage Sites, Eight Lukang Scenic Attractions, and Twelve Lukang Glamorous Charms. If you want to see all the sights, even a quick visit takes 3 days.

The "Chingchang Ancient Mansion" in the deep lane has a poetic name, but the locals also pass a beautiful but painful love story. Hundreds of years ago, a young scholar went to the capital for the national examination and asked his fiancée to stay in the mansion for him. Before the scholar left, he planted a carambola tree and told his fiancée she could "see the tree when she misses him." However, the scholar has never come back with any information since then. The fiancée, Yin Niang, stayed alone in the mansion and died of depression after looking at the carambola tree day after day.

This Lukang version of "Madame Butterfly" is poignant, but the symbolic meaning of the mansion is more important, which represents the development history of Lukang. In addition to being the former residence of the Xiamen Chamber of Commerce, the mansion features the most beautiful brick carvings and window treatments in Lukang. The former owners have distinguished backgrounds, such as the first town mayor of Lukang, Mr. Chen Pei-xu, and the founder of Jui Mei Pastry, Mr. Li Jun-de, etc.

"Each of the old houses in Lukang is a legend." The contributing tricycle driver, Mr. Shi Wen-qin, who cooperates with the association, is proud to know every local story of Lukang: "I don't only take visitors for the tour, and I also know every story of the historical sites; I don't only repeat the official information to the visitors but also research the stories from books and then talk to my guests."

He isn't a special case. Ms. Lao said confidently, "The partners of our association all treat guests with such a dedicated attitude." That is the essence of "depth," "human touch," and "professionalism," and those are the key factors that help the Delicacy and Culture Tourism Association survive the COVID-19 epidemic.

Sets up SOP: Senior Female Staff Know Everything from Serving Makeup to Hair to Photography
The Delicacy and Culture Tourism Association was established in 2016. From the first day, it decided to use "ancient style" as the core concept and "new trend" as the appearance to promote an alternative "Lukang style tourism." Over the years, except for the exclusive Cheongsam experience and tricycle tours, which are the store's treasure, the association has been renovating the combination of guided tours of the Secret Spots from time to time.

Ms. Liao recalled when she first applied for the one-year terms of the "Multi-Employment Promotion Program (MEPP). " She pre-researched and knew that only Tainan provided a similar service. There is only one competitor on the market, not because of a lack of customers but "too much work."-- The hair braiding, make-up, and trying on clothes and shoes are time-consuming. Not to mention the tricycle tours, guided tours, and on-the-go photo shoots that follow; each service is a "labor-intensive" project. Therefore, Ms. Liao decided their services would be "modularized" and "professionalized."

In the part about hair braiding, make-up, clothes, and shoes, she first sets up a standard operation procedure (SOP). Secondly, she invites professional lecturers to design several stylish packages according to different genders, ages, shapes, etc. She also retains the flexibility of the visitor's own ideas and asks her staff to do their best to meet the visitor's expectations without delaying progress. "Actually, most of the visitors accepted the staff's suggestions."

In the part about the tricycle and guided tours, no matter if it's a half-day or one-day tour, the tricycle driver must be an articulate person, just like Mr. Shi Wen-qin. Ms. Laio asked the Workforce Development Agency of the Ministry of Labor to suggest professional lecturers to train the drivers' guiding abilities, including the local elderly people who had participated in the "Let's edit the village's history" project by Changhua County Government. "There are many contacts for which you can't even find them on Google."

In the part about photo shooting, she knows that in the social media era, visitors not only want to "leave a good memory" but also want to be "envied and followed by others." Therefore, Ms. Liao led those senior female staff who didn't know how to run a social community to discuss and set up the old mansion, turning it into an antique photo studio. She also learned from professional photographers how to choose angles
and scenery and take beautiful photos.

Modularized Process Makes Zero Customer Complaints
By continually modifying and advancing this modularized SOP, now the five senior female staff who had been hired by MEPP can complete hair styling, make-up, and dressing customers in 30 minutes, do the inside photo shooting in another 30 minutes, and then take on the tricycle tour to the Secret Spots with the driver's guidance in another 30 minutes, and end up having the local delicacy in the designated street food shop.

Ms. Liao expressed that the high efficiency result is actually spending lots of time and money, and it's more important to take care of the personnel. The association had applied for the one-year term program three times. Last year, it had just applied for the three-year term program for the first time. The first project manager, who is younger than her, has been assigned the task of leading two staff members who are 24 years older than her.

"At the same time, my elementary school classmate, Ms. Wang Ling-jun, wanted to move back here and asked me to introduce a job." Said by Ms. Liao. "I think she is pretty, outgoing, and has worked in the retail industry. She is totally the perfect candidate." Ms. Liao praised that Ms. Wang Ling-jun had really turned the four re-employments for displaced senior female staff into masters at reading customers and "comforting" them. The whole staff supports the experience shop and has never met serious customer complaints.

After a few years of operation, the Changhua County Delicacy and Culture Tourism Association in the deepest part of the lane gave Ms. Liao a satisfied result. The association was not known until 10 times revenue growth before the pandemic. After surviving this dormant period, its business raised nearly 50% within the unblocked six months in early 2023. Looking ahead, Ms. Liao expects the association could become self-reliant in the next few years. When the time arrives, Lukang will not only be an important religious village but the first choice for domestic in-depth tourism.
The Official Facebook Website of Changhua County Delicacy and Culture Tourism Association

▲The best selling point of the association is the combination of the Cheongsam experience and heritage sites. Behind the customer's satisfaction is a strict standard operating procedure (SOP). The CEO, Ms. Liao Yu-lin, is in the middle, and the project manager, Ms. Wang Ling-jun, is on the right side of the picture.

▲The team changed the old house into a studio and learned from professional photographers how to choose angles and scenery and take beautiful photos..

▲Tourists can take on a tricycle to explore the Secret Spots while listening to the driver's in-depth guiding tour of Lukang.

▲More than sightseeing, the association builds up an "in-depth," "human touch," and "professionalism" guiding tour.

▲The Luking guiding tour information of Changhua County Delicacy and Culture Tourism Association (Photos provided: Delicacy and Culture Tourism Association)