52% of mainland tourists visiting Taiwan are from the post-80s generation, and over 70% love oyster omelets the most.

▲ On April 15, China will open up independent travel to Taiwan for 11 more cities including Haikou. (Photo/ Illustration, photo by reporter Chen Ruizhong)

Reported by Chen Ruizhong / Taipei

The 18th Cross-Strait Travel Industry Association Meeting was officially held in Taipei today (March 24). With the theme of "Deepening Cooperation, Innovating Mechanisms, and Enhancing Quality," the event included participation from organizations such as the China Tourism Association for Taiwan Affairs, the Tourism Bureau, and the Travel Quality Assurance Association, as well as tourism officials and industry professionals from various regions across China. In total, around 620 cross-strait tourism-related individuals attended.

As tourists from both sides of the strait increasingly demand higher “travel quality,” this year’s meeting also featured special sessions on how to make better use of online marketing, innovate cross-strait travel routes, and enhance touching stories throughout journeys. The goal is to provide consumers with an even better travel experience through reflection and improvement by tourism professionals on both sides.

▲ Over 600 cross-strait tourism-related individuals participated in the 18th Cross-Strait Travel Industry Association Meeting.

This meeting also specially announced the most popular Taiwanese specialties and snacks among mainland travelers. Among them:73% of mainland tourists love Taiwanese cuisine the most, followed by danzai noodles, beef noodles, and ginger duck.Hong Kong tourists, on the other hand, preferxiaolongbao (soup dumplings) and beef noodles.As for night market snacks, over 70% of both mainland and Hong Kong tourists favor“oyster omelets,”while the top three night market foods recommended by Taiwanese locals are oyster omelets, bubble tea, and stinky tofu—making Taiwanese cuisine a unique kind of “tourism ambassador.”

Zhong Hui, executive director of the China Travel Services Association, also noted that among the 2014 data on mainland tourists visiting Taiwan, over 52% were from the post-80s generation. These younger travelers have brought new types of itineraries. Activities such as cycling tours, experiencing farm life, or practicing Zen at Foguangshan have all added fresh dimensions to travel routes in Taiwan.

Zhang Xicong, deputy director of the Tourism Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation, stated that in 2014, there were 3.98 million mainland visitors to Taiwan and 5.36 million visits from Taiwan to the mainland, showing growth in exchanges on both sides.On April 15, the fifth batch of 11 cities (Haikou, Hohhot, Lanzhou, Yinchuan, Changzhou, Xuzhou, Weihai, Zhoushan, Longyan, Huizhou, and Guilin) will be opened for independent travel by mainland tourists to Taiwan.The number of cross-strait exchanges is expected to soon surpass the 10 million mark.

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