Taiwan’s tourism industry is expecting to see an upswing in the number of visitors arriving from China in early October.
The spike is expected just after an increase to the daily quota of independent Chinese travelers. Beginning on September 21, the quota will be raised from 4,000 to 5,000. The wave of tourists will also coincide with a week-long holiday for the Chinese. China’s “Golden Week” will begin with China’s National Day on October 1.
The head of the Taiwan Strait Tourism Association’s Beijing Office says that a similar wave can be expected in the outlying islands of Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu. There, daily quotas on Chinese travelers were raised from 500 to 1,000 on September 1.
Taiwan’s cycling is a major draw for independent Chinese travelers. The association’s Beijing office and Taiwan-based Giant Bicycles hold an annual contest with a cycling tour through Taiwan as the prize. The number of contest participants increased from 847 in 2014 to 1,785 this year. The event aims to raise Chinese interest in Taiwan’s cycling opportunities.