China News Service, Shanghai, January 18th Title: Shanghai citizens are concerned about resuming group tours to Taiwan. "New Year gift package" is full of expectations. China News Service reporter Miao Lu

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced on the 17th that the mainland will resume group tours to Taiwan by residents in Fujian and Shanghai in the near future. As soon as the news came out, it attracted attention and heated discussion among Shanghai citizens and the industry. Everyone generally said that this was a "New Year gift package" and it was full of expectations.

"On the day the policy was released, many of my WeChat groups began to become lively. Everyone was already discussing the practical methods of this group tour, and some were looking forward to the implementation of 'free travel' as soon as possible." Kong Tong, the author of the self-media "Travel with the kids", said in an interview with a reporter from China News Service that many readers have sent her WeChat to consult her about the relevant content of traveling to Taiwan.

From the official launch of mainland residents' travel to Taiwan in 2008 to 2019, Kong Tong has traveled to Taiwan many times. She said, "Taiwan is very distinctive in cultural and creative aspects. Every time I went to Taiwan before, I would buy a lot of surrounding areas." During the "2024 Shanghai Taipei City Forum", Kong Tong paid attention to the information that "Shanghai will actively promote group tours for Shanghai residents to Taiwan", but he did not expect that it would be implemented so quickly. "I forgot it, and it will be truly implemented in one month."

Ni Yongjie, director of the Shanghai Taiwan Research Institute, said that the mainland has always adhered to the concept of "one family on both sides of the Taiwan Strait". The recovery of group tours for residents of Fujian and Shanghai to Taiwan "conforms to the voice of the Taiwanese people to be peaceful, exchanges, cooperation and development. This is to seek benefits for Taiwan's compatriots, which is conducive to Taiwan's economic development, improvement of people's livelihood and employment expansion, and ultimately achieve cross-strait integrated development. This is a small step in cross-strait exchanges, and it should also become a big step in promoting the peaceful and stable development of cross-strait relations."

Chen Chao, deputy director of the Taiwan Research Center of Shanghai Jiaotong University, said: "Being the first to resume group tours to Taiwan by residents of Fujian and Shanghai is conducive to the integration of emotions and lifestyles of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, thereby further promoting exchanges between people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Shanghai has close interactions with Taiwan and strong tourism demand, while Fujian and Taiwan have a natural and deep kinship. In addition, the Spring Festival has a special significance for Chinese people, paying attention to reunion and family happiness. Choosing this time node to publish news will make compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait very excited."

Shanghai's tourism operators have taken action. Zhou Weihong, deputy general manager of Shanghai Chunqiu International Travel Agency (Group) Co., Ltd., said that the company is preparing related product planning, re-investigation and integration of resources for Taiwan team tours, as well as training for tour guides and team leaders, "I hope to take Shanghai citizens to appreciate the natural scenery of Baodao and taste special food." Ctrip staff also revealed that 3 hours after the news of the team tour to Taiwan was released, the number of searches related to Taiwan on the platform increased by 48%.

Liao Zixuan, a Taiwanese girl born in the 1990s who is currently engaged in rural revitalization related work in Shanghai, believes that the resumption of group tours for residents of Fujian and Shanghai to Taiwan will not only promote the tourism industry, but also promote other industries on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. "We have been planning to organize an agricultural study group to go to Taiwan. After this news comes out, I feel that the speed will accelerate, and I am still looking forward to it."

Ni Yongjie emphasized that on the basis of respecting mainstream public opinion, the mainland has taken the lead in releasing goodwill. At present, the key to the peaceful and stable development of cross-strait relations is still in the hands of the DPP authorities. He hopes that the DPP authorities can have a positive and positive response, so that cross-strait personnel exchanges will be normalized and cross-strait exchanges will be normalized. (End)