Surge in independent mainland Chinese travelers during Golden Week; total numbers expected to hit a new high

▲ Golden Week brings a large influx of mainland Chinese tourists to Taiwan. (Photo / Illustration, photo by reporter Chen Rui-zhong)

Reported by Chen Rui-zhong / Taipei

The mainland's Golden Week runs from October 1st to October 7th each year, marking the peak period for both domestic and outbound travel in China.According to immigration statistics, even before Golden Week began, the daily number of independent mainland travelers visiting Taiwan had been gradually increasing—there were over 11,000 on September 30th, and more than 14,000 on October 1st. If this trend continues, it is expected to surpass last year’s record of nearly 50,000 visitors, setting a new high for the number of mainland travelers to Taiwan during Golden Week.

In addition to the increase in independent travelers, tour groups from the mainland also provide steady support for Taiwan’s tourism industry. Luo Ma, General Manager of Ding Yun Travel Agency, noted that tour group bookings from the mainland during this year’s Golden Week have performed well. Cheng Mu-zhen, PR manager of Taipei 101—one of the popular destinations for mainland visitors—mentioned that although the number of tour groups visiting the observatory has not yet broken the previous record, visitor numbers have remained fairly stable since Golden Week began.