If Taiwan authorities lifted the ban on mainland tourists, the
main result would be a positive economic stimulus that would be
felt in a variety of sectors, said experts attending a forum held
in Beijing on Sunday.
Huang Fucai, professor of the tourism department of
mainland-based Xiamen University, said promoting cross-Straits
tourism will benefit Taiwan's hotels, restaurants, transportation
sector as well as its retail industries.
"It will also solve Taiwan's unemployment problems by increasing
job opportunities in Taiwan," Huang said at the Third Cross-Straits Economic, Trade and Cultural
Forum.
Huang said Taiwan's tourism industry has developed slowly in
recent years and Chinese mainland residents, who have longed to
travel to the island for years, would give it a boost.
Lee Ming-Huei, president of Taiwan Hospitality and Tourism
College, estimates that Taiwan would reap revenues of 26.5 billion
New Taiwan Dollars (about US$803 million) if it hosted a 1,000
mainland tourists a day.
"It will greatly boost the tourism industry and economic
development in Taiwan," Li said.
He urged Taiwan authorities to remove unnecessary restrictions
on mainland tourists as soon as possible.
The Chinese mainland has lifted its ban on travel to Taiwan by
mainland tourists, aiming to expand people-to-people contacts and
help boost Taiwan's tourism industry.
Since October 2006, non-governmental tourism organizations on
the mainland and in Taiwan have conducted five rounds of talks and
reached consensus on major technical issues, but they have not been
able to conclude a final agreement.
(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2007)