The first batch of mainland tourists have arrived in Taiwan. They are on an eight-day tour around the island. Travel packages have been fully booked until the end of July.

Our reporter Liu Min has the details.

Reporter:

After this Taiwan folk song has been popular in the mainland for almost 30 years,

the first group of mainland tourists are now arriving the island. With much excitement, they are finally embarking upon this long-waited adventure to this treasure Island. Shen Xiaoli and her husband are among the visitors.

"We've been longing to travel to Taiwan for a long time. We could have visited Taiwan after stopovers in other countries, but we wait for the day we could flight there directly. We feel very lucky and honored to be able to join the first travel group."

Shen Xiaoli is a retired doctor. She booked the tour package with China International Travel Service right after a travel agreement was agreed at the cross-strait talks last month. The tour they are taking is an eight-day sightseeing around Taiwan.

The journey will start from Taipei and travel all the way down to the southern area. Scenic spots en route include the National Palace Museum and the tallest building in the world Taipei 101, Sun Moon Lake in middle Taiwan, Mount Ali in the west, Taroko, a beautiful mountainous scenery area in the east and the Love River in Kaohsiung in the south. The round tour will end by flying back to Taipei on the eighth day.

Manager of China International Travel Service Liu Yinghao says the tourists be given a red-carpet welcome.

"Upon arrival, the hotel in Taiwan will throw a welcoming banquet for the distinguished guests from the mainland. They will be accommodated in five-star hotel suites and shown around by the most professional tour guides. Along the journey, we will provide our guests Taiwanese sapor dinners and gourmet food."

Businesses in Taiwan now are well-prepared to welcome their guests. Shopping centers will stock brochures in simplified Chinese. Banks, hotels and airports now are open to Mainland customers to exchange currency.

Based on the agreement at the cross-strait talks, after the trial period ends on July 18th, the tourist market will be open to all the assigned Travel Agencies throughout Mainland. Customers will then be able to choose 10 to 15-day tours to Taiwan. Comfort Travel Service will send out their first tourist group to Taiwan on July 18th. Manager Guo Yu says business is booming.

"The packages have been all booked to the end of July. We will send out two to three travel groups every week. Tourists' daily expenses will be no less than 550 Yuan or 80 US dollars."

Retired journalist Xu Jianzhong will join the journey later this month. He says Taiwan is the only place that he hasn't been to in China.

"I have taken photos around China, but Taiwan is missing in my album. I'm very happy to see the beautiful island."

Thanks to efforts from both sides of the strait, mainland travelers are expecting a unique adventure, and at the same time bringing more business to Taiwan.

That's Li Min reports.