Cross-Strait travelers flock to mainland sites

TAIPEI — A travel boom among Taiwan residents heading to the Chinese mainland was in full swing during the October holidays, despite the island's authorities refusing to lift restrictions on group tours.

This month, Taiwan residents enjoyed two closely spaced short holidays, prompting many to extend their breaks and head out on trips.

At Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in Taipei, long lines formed at check-in counters as travelers carrying large suitcases prepared to board flights. The airport estimated that passenger travel between Oct 3 and Saturday would reach 1.51 million.

The mainland remains one of the most popular destinations for Taiwan residents. Statistics from the island's transport department showed that in the first half of this year, more than 1.5 million Taiwan residents traveled to the mainland, underscoring the strong demand despite the so-called "level-orange alert" for Taiwan travelers to the mainland and the continued ban on group tours to the mainland imposed by the island's authorities.

From exploring traditional culture in Beijing's museums to admiring the peaks and rivers of Zhangjiajie in Hunan province, from tasting street food in the bustling night markets of Chengdu in Sichuan province to experiencing the futuristic skyline of Shenzhen in Guangdong province, Taiwan visitors have been seizing the chance to discover the mainland's diverse attractions during the holidays.

A resident of New Taipei City, surnamed Wu, and his wife were excitedly discussing their travel plans at Taoyuan airport before departing for the cities of Xi'an, Shaanxi province, and Dunhuang, Gansu province.

Wu said their choice of Xi'an was partly inspired by the hit animated film Chang'an.

"The film vividly portrayed the beauty of ancient Xi'an, and we wanted to see it with our own eyes," he said.

At the same airport, a Taipei resident, surnamed Xu, and her two friends were about to embark on a five-day trip to Shanghai, Suzhou in Jiangsu province and Hangzhou in Zhejiang province. Having visited Xiamen and Fuzhou in Fujian province last year, she said she was impressed by the convenience of traveling on the mainland.

With the help of her mainland friends, she downloaded mobile apps such as WeChat and Alipay to pay for transportation, meals and other expenses.

"Just a few clicks on the phone, and everything is done. It's very easy," she said.

The mainland has introduced multiple measures to make visits more convenient for Taiwan compatriots. Taiwan residents holding mainland travel permits can enter the mainland without additional endorsements. Additionally, Taiwan phone numbers and bank cards can be linked to mobile payment apps such as Alipay and WeChat Pay.

As experiences improve, Taiwan residents are setting their sights on more diverse destinations. Travel industry insiders have noted that while Fujian and major coastal cities used to dominate itineraries, an increasing number of Taiwan tourists are now venturing further inland for in-depth experiences.

Xinhua