The indefinite suspension of group tours from Taiwan to mainland China has also caused significant economic losses for Taiwanese tour operators, over 90 per cent of whom organise such tours, Lee pointed out.
Taiwan was set to lift the COVID-19-era restriction in March but halted the plan a month before, citing Beijing’s failure to reciprocate the goodwill gesture.
Lee asserts that demand in Taiwan for sightseeing visits to mainland China remains strong. According to China immigration data, mainland China welcomed 2.96 million Taiwanese visitors from the start of the year till October, a 68.4 per cent year-on-year increase. Analysts have attributed this upward trend to several mainland initiatives to attract Taiwanese visitors, including streamlined entry permit applications and discounted or complimentary tickets to major tourist attractions.
With cross-strait tourism a far cry from its heyday, any boost would be welcome news to both Beijing and Taipei, analysts note.
Taiwan is already grappling with a widening travel deficit, where more residents are heading abroad compared to the number of people who visited. Having access to mainland Chinese tourists would help narrow the gap and boost the island’s economy.
Estimates suggest that outbound Taiwanese travellers could reach 17.5 million this year, while only 7.5 million international visitors are expected to come to Taiwan. This gap of 10 million trips and a trade value deficit of NT$738 billion (US$22.5 billion) would be the largest ever recorded.
While allowing mainland Chinese tourists into Taiwan would be an economic boon for the island, the industry must beware of over-dependence, warned Wu Se-chih, director of the China Research Center at Taiwan Thinktank.
He told CNA that based on past experiences, travel by mainland Chinese tourists has typically been heavily restricted, with requirements to sign up with designated operators and adhere to fixed itineraries.
“This practice tends to benefit only a small group of industry players, with very little trickling down to the broader business community,” he said.
“Moreover, Chinese authorities have the ability to ‘turn off the tap’ whenever they choose, when it comes to allowing tourists into Taiwan. This presents significant risk and uncertainty to the sector.”
