Relaxed tour group quota increases Mainland trips to Taiwan

BEIJING - An increase in Taiwan’s quota for tour groups has helped it become one of the most popular travel destinations for Mainland residents during the northern winter holiday season. Taiwan’s tourism authorities have raised the daily quota from 5,000 a day to 8,000 between November 21 2015 and February 19 in response to growing demand for travel during the Spring Festival.

Zhang Hui of Chinese online travel agency Ctrip told China Daily that the higher quota has led to a 50% increase in customers to Taiwan this year so far, compared to last year. In 2015, more than four million Mainland tourists visited Taiwan, surpassing those from Japan to become the biggest spenders.

Taiwan’s Economic Daily News reported earlier this month that each Mainland traveller during Q1-Q3 2015 spent an average of US$232.15 a day in Taiwan, higher than the average US$221.45 spent by the Japanese.

Deputy Director Ni Yongjie of the Shanghai Institute of Taiwan Studies said: “The Mainland has always encouraged cross-Straits exchanges and co-operation…I hope the new (Taiwan) Government can consider the travelling demands of people from both sides and continue to launch favourable policies.”  www.webershandwick.cn (ATI),