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New Chinese tourism regulations implemented

A package of amendments to the regulations governing entry of Chinese tourists took effect yesterday to facilitate security management and the upgrading of travel service quality.

National Immigration Agency officials said the amendments were drawn up in line with the government's "active management, effective opening" policy toward cross-strait trade and economic relations.

Under the new rules the Travel Agent Association will be able to determine the number of Chinese tour groups each local agency can host, which will help facilitate screening of Chinese tourists, reduce red tape and promote the standardization of travel agency operations, the officials said.

Travel agencies that meet the requirements for handling Chinese tour groups will have to provide a NT$2 million (US$60,600) security deposit, an increase from the previous NT$1 million. Travel agencies that have already paid the NT$1 million deposit must remit the additional money within three months.

Under the new rules, travel agencies will have NT$200,000 deducted from their security deposit for each Chinese tourist who overstays his or her visa or runs away from a tour group.

Agencies also face tougher penalties if one of their charges breaks national security laws. The agency in question could lose its license or have the number of tours it arranges cut. Previously, agencies only had to temporarily stop operations if one of their Chinese tourists overstayed or ran away.

The revised regulations require all agencies handing Chinese tour groups to sign a self-discipline convention.

Meanwhile, restrictions on Chinese tourists intending to visit science-based industrial parks have been relaxed but travel agencies will have to report all itinerary changes to the government.

Reporting procedures have been simplified and new measures introduced to prevent the repetition of document screening and inspection, officials said.

The new measures are part of preparations for the much-anticipated full opening of the country to Chinese tourists. Government officials said last week that the two sides had reached consensus on almost all major technical details.
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