TAIPEI: The 12th Cross-Straits Travel Industry Forum opened yesterday in Taipei, heralding a new wave of mainland visitors who represent the golden hope for the sagging Taiwan tourism sector.

At the forum's opening ceremony, the chairman of the National Tourism Administration, Shao Qiwei, who led a 450-strong mainland delegation, proposed five measures to ameliorate the fallout from the economic crisis.

His proposals include expanding tourist markets, launching ocean cruises and developing multiple-stopover packages to include Hong Kong or Macao.

On January 20, the National Tourism Administration announced that residents of another 12 provinces, including Hebei, Heilongjiang and Sichuan, will become eligible to sign aboard for Taiwan tour packages. A further 111 travel agencies were added to the growing list of agents authorized to sell Taiwan tours.

Prior to the January 20 announcement, 13 provinces and cities like Guangdong and Shanghai became eligible for Taiwan tours under an agreement that followed a decade-long hiatus in cross-Straits negotiations. The original number of authorized travel agencies was set at 33.

The new measures were hailed by Taiwan's tourism sector as a major step forward in expanding the mainland market. The Tourism Bureau estimated the daily average of mainland tourists to the island will exceed 1,000.

Pilot trip

It's the first time for the annual forum to be held in Taiwan. This year the agenda for the gathering focuses on island tourism. The 11 previous sessions were held in mainland cities with a focus on bringing Taiwan tourists to the mainland.

Many members of the mainland delegations are tour operators from the 12 newly listed provinces. At the conclusion of the two-day forum, delegates will divide into two groups, then set off on field trips along Taiwan's east and west coasts. Fifty of the visitors will be paying particular attention to Taiwan's golf facilities.

The arrangement will help mainland travel agencies design theme tours, distinctly different from the usual around-the-island packages, Roget Hsu, secretary-general of the Travel Agent Association of Taiwan told media.

Anthony Liao, general manager of Taiwan's Phoenix Tours International, offered assurance that the gathering will stimulate tourism.

"With a better knowledge of Taiwan's scenic spots, the mainland travel agencies will bring more tourists here, especially those from the newly opened provinces," he said.

On the other side of the Taiwan Straits, the introduction of the expanded list of players is expected to stimulate competition, generate new options for consumers and bring down the cost of tour packages.

"Prices of Taiwan packages could go down by 30 percent to the 3,000-yuan range," said the China International Travel Service (Guangdong) in a statement issued after the company was listed among new travel operators authorized to book Taiwan tours.

The travel industry hoped more restrictions could be lifted to open the floodgates to the gigantic reservoir of mainland tourists.

"Many travelers still have to transfer through Hong Kong or Macao because of difficulty to book seats on direct flights," he said. "In some newly opened provinces, direct flights are unavailable."

After the Cross-Straits Air Transport Agreement went into effect in December, travelers from 21 mainland cities were able to fly directly to Taiwan without needing to detour.

The total number of flights, however, was limited to 108 weekly. During passenger peaks such as the Chinese New Year holiday, direct flight tickets sold at a premium because of the scarcity of seats.

"It will be perfect if the direct flights are opened in more cities and the chartered flights become regular," Liao said.

Wang Chun-bao, Director of the Taiwan Visitors Association (Hong Kong Office), agreed that cross-Straits tourism requires inter-departmental coordination.

As for the travel sector in Taiwan, "we need to do our best to create the 'beyond-expectations' experience for tourists so they will want to come back again," he said.

(HK Edition 02/27/2009 page1)