Townway Cultural and Creative Corporation
Creating local industry in a small town.
Enterprise/business philosophy and objectives of the founder
On a photography trip to Zhushan, a place that has been deserted by many young people, founder Pei Jun Ho discovered an abandoned traditional courtyard home. Faced with 900 pyeong of unused space and an old house, Pei Jun Ho dedicated himself to the community together with his cousin, building a B&B one brick at a time. After many years of management, “El Patio Del Cielo”, claimed to be the most beautiful B&B in Taiwan, gradually started to make a profit. But this was not enough. In order to encourage more tourists to visit and stay in Zhushan and help them understand the place better,Pei Jun Ho created Townway Cultural and Creative Corporation, which holds the idea of “making tourists into sociologists”.
History of development/business model
Together with local businesses, Townway Cultural and Creative Corporation promotes the value of local culture. For example, it has collaborated with architects and bamboo craftspeople in using 5500 strips of bamboo to transform the unused second floor of the bus station into a food court, as well as launched menus full of Zhushan’s local specialties. Pei Jun Ho also encourages young people to stay here and create their own businesses. Ho rents out two houses that provide accommodation to young people in exchange for their skills. Anyone who has new ideas for Townway Cultural and Creative Corporation can stay here. One after another, young people have started coming to the township, bringing new technology, such as bamboo-made QR-codes, and leaving technology to the local community. While preserving traditional culture, they also bring an abundance of energy and new blood to Zhushan Township.
Creating social value/mitigating social problems
Townway Cultural and Creative Corporation started from local resources, and through travel, experience and stories has integrated local traditional industries to present the gradually declining traditional culture of Zhushan to visitors. Using a brand-new method, it provides resources for entrepreneurial activities, thereby creating possibilities for both local residents and young people to start businesses. By providing accommodation in exchange for skills, it has successfully accumulated 25 skills, and more than 1000 young people have come here to contribute their talents. In this way, it has succeeded at preserving cultural heritage and adding value to Zhushan.
Cantact them
www.townway.com.tw
forus999@gmail.com
886-49-2657366
No.1, Dingheng St., Jhushan Township, Nantou County 55747, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
