The Beijing Office of the Straits Exchange Foundation for Tourism between Taiwan and the Mainland (Taiwan Tourism Bureau, or 台旅会) has been actively marketing six major safeguards in the mainland, including accommodation and sightseeing, to stimulate growth in mainland tourists visiting Taiwan. As a result, the number of travelers from Guangxi to Taiwan increased by over 50% in the first 11 months of last year.
According to a report by Taiwan’s Central News Agency, the Beijing Office of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau has recently been vigorously promoting in the mainland six major safeguard measures: “Guaranteed Accommodation,” “Guaranteed Meals,” “Guaranteed Sightseeing,” “Guaranteed Transportation,” “No Shopping Pressure,” and “No Mandatory Paid Activities.” These
According to statistics released by the Association for Tourism Exchange Across the Taiwan Straits (ATEAT), in 2012 the total number of mainland residents traveling to Taiwan reached 1.9733 million, an annual increase of 57.58%, setting a new record. Among them, group tours accounted for 1.7826 million, up 45.75% year-on-year, while independent travel reached 190,700, a surge of 553.29%, both maintaining rapid growth.
Taking Guangxi as an example, from January to November 2012, the number of travelers to Taiwan was 20,623, a significant increase of 53.98% compared to 2011.
Yang Rui-zong, Director of the Taipei Office of the Taiwan Strait Tourism Association (TSTA), visited Jia Yucheng, Vice President of the Guangxi Autonomous Region Tourism Association on the 7th, and invited representatives from ATEAT, the Guangxi Autonomous Region Tourism Association, the Nanning Tourism Association, and travel agencies to attend the “Guangxi Residents’ Taiwan Travel Business Symposium.”
Yang Rui-zong recommended that Guangxi tour operators could launch a “Life of Pi” themed itinerary, taking mainland tourists to film locations including Taipei’s Muzha Zoo, Kenting, Taichung, and other spots.
He also mentioned that recent Taiwanese events such as the “Forever Teresa Teng Special Exhibition” at Taipei’s National Theater & Concert Hall and the “2013 Taiwan Lantern Festival” held in the Hsinchu High-Speed Rail Special Zone are also must-see highlights for mainland visitors coming to Taiwan.