Taiwan to open doors for tourists from China

By Satish G. | eTN Asia
Paving way for more visitors from China, Taiwan has decided to facilitate 2000 arrivals, double of the current figure, by the end of this year. Also, there are plans to increase the number of Chinese business delegations from the mainland China to several hundred from the present 30 within a month.

According to a survey done by the Chinese government, there are 50 million potential mainland visitors to Taiwan each year. Statistics from the China National Tourism Administration show that during the Labor Day public holidays in May this year, the number of mainland travelers visiting Taiwan reached 5600. Last year, more than 2.93 million people from Taiwan visited mainland China and 124,000 travelers from mainland China visited Taiwan.
 
Last month, it was indicated that after years of negotiations, Taipei and Beijing were likely to reach an agreement in the coming months that will allow mainland Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan, as long as both sides can sort out issues related to titles of representative organizations involved in the exchange.
According to China- and Taiwan-based travel agents, Beijing and Taipei had agreed that a 10-day tour should cost somewhere between US$1300-$2000. Details of how Taiwan can send overstaying mainland tourists back and whether the tourists should fly to Taiwan with direct charter flights or via Hong Kong and Macao were still under discussion, it was shared last month.
 
Taiwan has rules on restricting the number of mainland visitors and it has banned direct transportation links with the mainland since 1949. Currently, Taiwan permits mainland tourists to enter its territory through a third region such as Hong Kong or Macau. Taiwan authorities also allow the Chinese citizens who are working, studying, or living abroad to enter Taiwan. Both countries usually make available special flights for Taiwanese citizens to enter mainland China during the Lunar New Year season, according to local media.
 
As per the information available, despite the restrictions, an estimated 129,000 Chinese tourists, including those who live overseas, visited Taiwan through the end of May this year. Many jumped through the travel restriction loophole provided for "professional interactive activity." Other industry figures suggested that some 800 Chinese tourists visited Taiwan daily during China's May 1 Labor Day "golden-week" holiday.

August 8, 2006   Posted in: Taiwan