As the number of Chinese tourists arriving in Taiwan continued to fall this month, officials have vowed to expand the nation’s tourism sources beyond China — but said Chinese visitors would still be “warmly welcomed.”
National Immigration Agency (NIA) statistics showed that from Oct. 1 to Tuesday last week, 94,519 Chinese tourists arrived in Taiwan, down 47.8 percent from the same period last year.
Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Deputy Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said Taiwan’s central and local governments have reached a consensus to attract tourists from all over the world and that the council will work hard to ensure the sustainable development of Taiwan’s tourism industry.
Chiu said MAC Minister Katharine Chang (張小月) has visited Tainan and Hualien, as well as Hsinchu, Nantou and Taitung counties, to exchange views with local government officials on tourism and agricultural trade with China.
“Local governments are concerned that fewer Chinese tourists are visiting their administrative areas than before,” Chiu said.
He said governments at all levels agree that Taiwan should expand its sources of tourist arrivals and develop tourism markets worldwide to make sure that the industry can develop in a healthy way.
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