Taiwan Hotel Trade Group Lobbies for Loosening of Mainland Tourism Laws

Dec 19, 2013 11:44 PM EST

While Taiwan offers a few notable tourist destinations including Taipei 101, the National Palace Museum, Taroko Gorge on the East coast, and the old capital of Tainan, many of these places are unknown

(Photo : Nipic.com) While Taiwan offers a few notable tourist destinations including Taipei 101, the National Palace Museum, Taroko Gorge on the East coast, and the old capital of Tainan, many of these places are unknown to potential tourists, and Taiwan has done a poor job of promoting many of these sites.

The Taiwan Tourist Hotel Association (TTHA) is lobbying for the Taiwanese government to extend tourist programs to 54 cities in Mainland China, up from 26. The group claims that with broader access by Chinese tourists, visits will increase by 20 percent, bolstering the economy of the island.

The push for more access on behalf of Mainland tourists is a response to the already visible decrease in Chinese visitors after a new tourism law was passed by the Chinese government in October. The law, which mostly regulates how travel companies do business, has slowed Chinese tourism overall, but is expected to be good for the industry in the long term.

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The law also addresses international stereotypes about Chinese tourists, who have a reputation for being comparatively poorly behaved when traveling. Chinese travelers have been issued a 64 page guidebook meant to advise tourists on behavioral norms outside of the Mainland.

The move to open up travel for more tourists is a predictable one for Taiwan. The island, dubbed the “beautiful island” when encountered by the Portuguese during colonial times, has made a push to attract more visitors in recent years, but has struggled to do so.

While Taiwan offers a few notable tourist destinations including Taipei 101, the National Palace Museum, Taroko Gorge on the East coast, and the old capital of Tainan, many of these places are unknown to potential tourists, and Taiwan has done a poor job of promoting many of these sites.

Western tourists remain relatively rare, especially compared to popular destinations like Hong Kong, Japan, and Shanghai. There are few hostels and western-style tours available, and tourism in Taiwan is designed more towards local, and Chinese, tastes.

Chinese tourists, who are more familiar with Taiwan and its historical significance, are more likely to visit, especially considering the shared language and cultural ties. Due to this familiarity and growing ease of access, Taiwan will be an ever more popular destination for Mainland tourists.