Academic Achievements
The characteristics of the Department’s current research topics:
1. Introduction to and explanation of the development of local resources and tourism and recreation industry: distinctive local resources and the development of tourism and recreation industry are closely connected; therefore, significant national policies or implementations including the MOEA projects (local distinctive industries, reviving commercial zones, clusters of local industries of creativity, local industry innovation, etc.), the regional flagship projects of the Tourism Bureau, the cultural and creative business of the Council for Cultural Affairs, the promotion of local industries and specialties as well as recreational agriculture projects by the Council of Agriculture, the promotion of Hakka commodities by the Council for Hakka Affairs, etc., have been supporting such realization. Local authorities are, needless to say, striving for greater opportunities by coping with related industry, public sectors, and academic circle to combine together “distinctive local resources” and “tourism and recreation industry”. As far as the research-end – using tourism and recreation industry as an example – is concerned, the most popular issue at present should be “Resourceful Tour”, such as cultural tour, recreational adventure, eco/green tour, festival tour, religious tour, indigenous tour, exhibition/expo tour, countryside tour, community tour, marine tour, etc. The Department’s core research directions include humanities-oriented tourism and recreation resource management, impacts upon economic benefits and social environment, commercialization of resources, market analysis, industry management, system of organization operation, benefits evaluation, changes of social and natural environment, industry development, cross-cultural comparison, sustainable management, etc.
2. Introduction to and explanation for the industry of healthcare and tourism & recreation: following the aging population and the changing environment, healthcare-specific issues have become
increasingly important. A great number of recent topics as well as industry development involving leisure and recreation have also focused on constructing a high-quality living industry and environment. As far as the research-end is concerned, the most popular topics at present include the leisure and recreation for senior citizens, lohas, staying healthy, long stay, and organic. The Department’s core research directions include “Green Hotel”, healthy diet, first-hand experience (involving industrial economy) in authenticity, happiness, body/mind/soul, the sub-group leisure and participation (the elderly, the retired, the female), and recreational and medical industries (therapy through recreation).