Mainland tourists to Taiwan surpass 2.14 mln
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Chinese mainland visitors traveling to Taiwan surpassed 2.14 million as of July, according to figures announced Monday during the 6th Cross-Straits Travel Fair in southeastern coastal province Fujian.
"Taiwan has become one of the most desired destination for mainland visitors," Chou Ching-hsiung, chairman of the Taiwan Visitors' Association, said at the opening ceremony. The fair runs from Monday through Saturday.
According to Chou, mainland tourists have spent 110 billion New Taiwan dollars (US$3.44 billion) on the island since July 2008 when Taiwan first opened its borders to mainland tourists.
Chou noted that "the traveling interaction between Fujian and Taiwan," which are separated by the Taiwan Strait, has been especially popular.
He said Fujian received 1.234 million, or about 27 percent of all Taiwan tourists to the mainland last year.
Chou expressed his hope that cooperation in cross-Straits tourism would remain mutually beneficial as people from both sides continue to strengthen exchanges.
The 6th Cross-Strait Travel Fair, entitled "Cooperation and Win-win for Cross-Straits Travel," is jointly held by the mainland-based National Tourism Administration and the Fujian provincial government.
The fair will include travel products and resources exhibitions, along with meetings for cross-Strait travel agencies, among other activities.
During the event, 20 counties and towns from Fujian and Taiwan will sign agreements on travel cooperation, according to Fujian's provincial tourism bureau, which co-hosted the event.
Some 2,000 guests and exhibiters from the mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, as well as countries from East and Southeast Asia, will participate in the fair.
