Chinese tourism official confident of cross-Straits travel

CHONGQING, July 17 - Chairman of the National Tourism Administration has expressed his confidence Sunday in the prospect of growing travel demand between the mainland and Taiwan.

Shao Qiwei, the chairman, said the number of trips made by tourists across the Straits could reach 10 million this year for the first time as the number of travellers from the mainland to Taiwan had reached 2.424 million by the end of June.

Travellers from Taiwan made more than 5 million trips to the mainland in 2010, Shao said at a cross-Straits tourism exchange conference held in southern China's city of Chongqing. He said increasing mainland tourists have boosted the service sectors such as hotels, dining, and transport in Taiwan, meanwhile, creating more job opportunities.

Since June 28, Taiwan has opened the door to residents of the mainland cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen to make individual trips to the island in a trial program that is believed to boost cross-Straits travel.