Large Numbers of American Citizens Retreating From Japan to Taipei

Taipei, March 18, 2011 (CENS)--The Taipei office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) made urgent reservations yesterday (March 17) for massive amount of rooms with five-star hotels in Taipei, in order to accommodate large numbers of American citizens retreating from Japan for a temporary stay, in the wake of the explosion of Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Total demand for hotel accommodations by the AIT may top 3,600 rooms, constituting the largest single order for the local tourist industry ever. The first batch of retreating American citizens, around 800-900 in number, already arrived at Taoyuan International Airport at wee hours this morning and have moved into rooms at major hotels in Taipei under the assistance of the AIT.

Those hotels are mostly American brands, including Le Meridian, Sheraton, Westin, all under the auspices of the Starwood Group, as well as Grand Hyatt and Grand Formosa. Those hotels called back their staffers on leave emergently, in order to meet the influx of guests.

The massive demand for accommodations has seriously overstrained the capacities of international-branded hotels in Taipei, a considerably portion of which has already been occupied by buyers for the ongoing cycle show in Taipei and senior managerial staffers of multinationals retreating from Japan last week. Therefore, the AIT is considering arranging some American citizens to stay at hotels of indigenous brands, such as Ambassador, the Grand Hotel, and Hotel Royal.

Insiders noted that retreating American citizens may stay in Taipei for at least four days or even longer. In addition to American citizens, considerable numbers of Japanese executives or representatives of multinationals in Japan have moved to Taipei from last Friday, to escape the radioactive disaster.