Transportation minister Chen Jian-yu says that the Tourism Bureau will give a report to the legislature on the issue of unauthorized Mainland Chinese tour groups.
Tour groups are subject to certain taxes and regulations. Some Chinese companies arrange permission for Mainland customers to enter Taiwan as individual travelers, but have them regroup into illegal tour groups after entering Taiwan.
On Monday, DPP legislator Chen Ou-po condemned this practice and said it has severely impacted the quality of Taiwan’s tourism.
"The travelers have made their own covert tour groups. How so? There are more and more Mainland Chinese travelers. How do they travel? They apply as individual travelers and regroup after entering Taiwan. They can then completely avoid rules on the age of tour buses and rules on commission, as well as background checks when they check into bed and breakfasts," Chen said. "The number of tourists has grown and grown. The amount of money we make from tourism has shrunk and shrunk. And the quality of tourism has gotten worse and worse."
Transport Minister Chen Jian-yu said he hopes that all government departments would join the discussion and elimination of these issues.