Taiwan is scheduled to open up to independent travelers from eleven more Chinese cities beginning in mid-April.
On Wednesday, Tourism Bureau official Chen Chiung-hua explained what the decision will entail.
"The number of Mainland travelers traveling independently in Taiwan has continued to boom and expand. After negotiations, the Taiwan Strait Tourism Association and the Mainland’s Cross-Strait Tourism Exchange Association have both agreed to open up independent travel in Taiwan to residents of a fifth batch of Mainland cities," said Chen.
"There are already 36 cities on the list. We will be opening up to people from eleven more beginning April 15. So the total number of cities will reach 47," she said.
The new additions include Changzhou, Lanzhou, Huizhou, and Haikou.
Chen also said that the Tourism Bureau will consider whether to raise the annual quota of independent Chinese tourists allowed into Taiwan.
Nearly 2.2 million independent Chinese travelers have arrived in Taiwan since the introduction of limited independent tourism in 2011. More than a million of those travelers came in 2014 alone. The growth in independent tourism from the Mainland is continuing strong in 2015, with an average 4,554 arriving daily in January and February.