Taiwan's tourism industry saw considerable growth in all major source markets except Japan, and is on pace to attract 7.7 million visitors this year, Premier Jiang Yi-huah said today after listening to a market report from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC). According to the report, the number of tourists to Taiwan climbed 9.15 percent in the first ten months of 2013 compared with the same period last year.
As for mainland China, Premier Jiang pointed out that Taiwan's push to improve itinerary quality coupled with the mainland's implementation of a new tourism law resulted in a 33-percent decline in the number of group tours from that market in October, although independent travel continues to grow. Jiang requested the Ministry of the Interior's National Immigration Agency and the MOTC's Tourism Bureau to raise the daily quota for solo mainland travelers from 2,000 to 3,000 starting this December 1, and to begin making the necessary manpower and promotional preparations.
The related agencies should also put a priority on wooing independent travelers from Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Malaysia if they wish to reach the goal of drawing 8 million visitors this year, the premier indicated.