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Cross-strait tourism exchange offices to be set up

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-10-22 11:48

Two tourism exchange offices will be established in Beijing and Taipei before the Spring Festival, according to the Cross-Strait Tourism Exchange Association on the mainland, the China News Service reported Today.

The offices will be the first public exchange institutions set up across the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan's China Times reported.

Lai Se Zhen, director of Taiwan's tourism bureau, said both offices will staff about 10 employees. Fan Guishan, secretary general of the Mainland Cross-strait Tourism Exchange Association, will be the first representative to the island.

As of Oct 20, the total number of tourists to Taiwan from the mainland reached over 500,000 from July 18, 2008 when mainland tourists were permitted to visit the island. Lai said the number may increase to 600,000 by the end of this year.