Mainland tourism association opens office in Taiwan

The mainland-based Cross-Strait Tourism Exchange Association (CTEA) opened its first office in Taipei on Friday, three days after its Taiwan counterpart inaugurated Beijing office.

The office would formally start business Saturday, said office director Fan Guishan. The office will be officially opened in a ceremony Friday evening and attended by CTEA chairman Shao Qiwei, also director of the National Tourism Administration.

The office, established in a commercial building in downtown Taipei, would provide travel consulting service, promote mainland tourist sites, and coordinate and settle tourists-related disputes, Fan said.

"We hope to set up a direct, smooth and effective communication channel for tourists on both sides and provide them better service," he said.

The office had three employees and two or three more people would be working there by the end of this year, he said. The Taiwan Strait Tourism Association (TSTA) opened its first office in Beijing on Tuesday, with five employees.

About 1 million mainland tourists have visited Taiwan since it lifted a ban on mainland tourists in June 2008. The number of mainland tourists to Taiwan reached 385,000 in the first four months and could top 1 million by the end of this year.