The Chinese authorities are set to allow residents of ten more cities to visit Taiwan as independent travelers.
Chinese and Taiwanese tourism officials made the announcement on Friday. Starting Aug. 18, the number of such cities will rise to 36. The total number of independent Chinese travelers to Taiwan will remain capped at 4,000 a day. Another 5,000 Chinese tourists are allowed to come in groups each day.
Head of Taiwan’s Tourism Bureau, David Hsieh, said since Taiwan began to allow independent Chinese travelers in June 2011, nearly 1.25 million Chinese tourists have visited Taiwan on their own. He also said the number of independent Chinese tourists doubled in the first half of this year to more than half a million.
Hsieh said Taiwan hopes residents of more Chinese cities will be allowed to visit Taiwan as independent travelers.