Xinhua Insight: Cross-Strait tourism bridges businesses, hearts

TAIPEI, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- On the yellowed pages of a notebook, 68-year-old Taiwan tourist guide Chen Sheng-tai has written down dense colored notes of the history and geography of provinces and cities on the Chinese mainland, as well as famed tourist spots.

He started to take note of his trips to the mainland in 1988, when he brought 34 veterans to Guangzhou via Hong Kong, less than a year after Taiwan authorities allowed Taiwan residents to visit their relatives on the mainland.

Chen then became a professional tourist guide leading Taiwan tour groups to visit the mainland, and receiving mainland tourists in Taiwan later.

"I have been to all major tourism attractions across the mainland. I don't even have to book hotel rooms for three months in some provinces because I have so many friends there," he said.

Cross-Strait tourism was one-way, from Taiwan to the mainland, until the Taiwan authorities allowed mainlanders to visit the island in 2008.

By the end of 2016, more than 93.4 million Taiwan compatriots had visited mainland, while 23.95 million mainlanders had been to Taiwan.

As travelling across the Taiwan Strait has become increasingly convenient, more people, especially younger travelers, prefer independent travel across the Strait.

Liu Lixiao made her first trip to Taiwan in early October this year. She spent nine days visiting Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Tainan and Hualien, and was impressed with the beautiful scenery and diverse culture.

"People in Taiwan are very warm and sincere. We share the same language and culture, which makes it very comfortable and convenient to travel there," Liu said.

Liu was particularly surprised at the wide acceptance of mainland's mobile payment tools, which covered many convenience stores and food stands.

However, booming local tourism has dampened with strained cross-Strait relations, with the number of mainland visitors spiralling downwards since 2016.

Local official statistics show that the number of mainland visitors fell 18 percent year on year in 2016 and plummeted 37.3 percent during January-September this year.

"Our shop could make at least one million new Taiwan dollars per month. But now we only make about 300,000," said Shih Mei-yen, owner of a souvenir shop at Sun Moon Lake in central Taiwan.

"Taiwan's tourism market has been bruised by the sharp fall of mainland visitors due to strained cross-Strait ties," said Lee Chi-yueh, a senior observer of local tourism. "Though it is not fatal, it hurts badly."

"The improvement of cross-Strait relations will not only benefit Taiwan's tourism industry, but the overall economy," Lee said.

Chen Sheng-tai has a plan after his retirement: Taking his wife to visit the mainland and to see his friends and relatives. Enditem