Spring festival visits to Taiwan are proving to be very popular now that direct links are available across the strait. This year, many people on the mainland have shown a keen interest in celebrating the Lunar New year in Taiwan.

Spring festival visits to Taiwan are proving to be very popular now that direct links are available across the strait.

At a travel agency in Dalian, the Taiwan tour package for Spring Festival costs as much as 11 thousand yuan. But, interest is not dampened.

An Na, Outbound Department of Dalian Overseas Travel Service Co. said "The demand is really hot, air tickets are in short supply, packages before February 8th have all been booked out."

In other places, including Shandong and Chongqing, tour packages to Taiwan are booked until mid-February.

One travel agent said "This is the name list of our tour group on January 11th. There are 100 people, quit a lot."

"One reason that many people choose to go to Taiwan during Spring festival, is they want to see how the festival is celebrated in Taiwan. And some want to spend the festival with their families and friends there."

Some of the rules for Taiwan tours have been changed. For example, the minimum number of people in each group should be more than five, instead of 10. And tourists can also stay longer the limit has now been extended from 10 days to 15.

(CCTV January 15, 2009)