Mainland Chinese travel boom is a mixed blessing for Taiwan
In the first of a two-part series, we examine how the island is cashing in on the rise in travellers from across the strait, but locals are grumbling
Taiwan's once-quiet travel industry is embracing a steady increase in tourist arrivals from the mainland, but faces new strains from the growing influx of visitors, who threaten to overrun the island's prized landmarks.
With 2.58 million arrivals from the mainland last year - much of that during its three week-long national holidays - businesses from tiny inns to big airlines have made space for more visitors, travel industry watchers say.
Mainland arrivals to Taiwan are up 45 per cent from 2011. In 2008 only a trickle of cross-strait tourists was allowed.
Now, hot spots such as the National Palace Museum and the vertical mountain walls of the Taroko National Park attract so many tour groups that locals have started to complain.
The race is on to balance growth that is benefiting the travel industry against ordinary people's gripes about sometimes loud, boisterous tour groups. This month, bird flu deaths on the mainland put Taiwan on alert, and it stepped up screening of mainland arrivals at airports.
"Of course, we have the hope that the number [of tourists] can be higher," said Lin Yen-mei, a specialist with the Tourism Bureau. "The scenic spots don't complain, but individuals do."