Taiwan may try to tempt mainland Chinese tourists with longer-stay visas as visitor numbers take hit from strained ties
Island’s travel industry worried by falling income since the election victory of President Tsai Ing-wen of independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party
Tourism authorities in Taiwan might propose extending the maximum stay of mainland visitors as worsening cross-strait ties continue to hurt the island’s tourism sector, Central News Agency reported yesterday.
People working in the tourism industry had been urging the government to allow mainland travellers coming under the Individual Visit Scheme to stay for as long as 30 days, the report said.
Residents of 47 mainland cities can spend up to 15 days on the island per visit.
Tourism officials said they would also review measures to make it easier for mainlanders – the largest source of tourists for Taiwan – to obtain tourist visas.
The number of mainland visitors to Taiwan has fallen sharply since the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party came to power in May. About
215,000 mainland tourists visited Taiwan in September – a 37.8 per cent decline compared with the same period last year, CNA reported.