Taiwan’s tourism industry has take to the streets to demand government help after political tensions with mainland China continue to affect inbound tourism.
About 10,000 workers in the industry marched to the presidential hall in Taipei this week seeking assistance and to enact policies to reverse the fall in Chinese tourists visiting the island.
Government data showed a fall of 15% in arrivals up to July 2016.
Political tensions with the mainland have increased since Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen took office in May.
Tourist arrivals from the mainland have fallen 22% since the election.
The Tsai administration has refused to acknowledge a ‘one single China’ concept including Taiwan, which has irked China.
The numbers have also been affected by a tour bus fire which killed all 24 mainland tourists recently, sparking calls to boycott the island.
The demo was attended by hotel employees, travel agents and tour bus owners urging the Taiwan government to act to reverse the slide.
"We only want the right to work. If they (Chinese tourists) do not come, we cannot work. This is just our need," tour guide Debby Huang told reporters.
