However, after overseas travel restrictions on Taiwan's citizens were relaxed in 1979, people found flying to Japan to be even faster than taking the Alishan Forest Railway. Moreover, domestic tourism expanded after martial law was lifted in 1987 and restricted mountain and coastal areas were opened up, and local governments strove to draw tourists, refurbishing local communities, promoting cultural and historical sites, and developing leisure activities.
然而，在 1979 年開放民眾出國觀光後，坐飛機遠渡重洋去日本甚至比搭森林火車上阿里山還快，加上 1987 年解嚴後，山林海濱許多禁地陸續開放，之後本土風潮沛然興起，各地方政府更是以社區總體營造、文史遺跡或休閒觀光等各種名目，爭取開闢新景點。