Taiwan’s cruise tourism will be severely impacted next year because the government’s refusal to issue visas on arrival or a visa waiver.
Taiwan tour operators say the policy will drastically decrease the number of visitors arriving at the country’s southern port of Kaohsiung.
Kaohsiung has welcomed 47 cruise ships year, but in 2015 this will drop to 29 in part due to the visa rules.
Tour operators have urged the government rethink the policy and cruise lines have said they will act as guarantors for their Chinese passengers, to ensure they do not overstay.
The rules mean Chinese cruise guests have to apply for an entry visa to Taiwan in advance and the Taiwanese government has also imposed a maximum limit on the number of people able to apply.
As a result, some cruise lines will skip Kaohsiung on 2015 itineraries.
