Generational Gap Evident in Travel to China, According to Tourism Administration

The generational divide in travel to China among Taiwanese has been a hot topic of discussion, with younger travelers showing less interest in visiting the country compared to their older counterparts. According to national travel statistics, since direct aviation links were opened across the Taiwan Strait in 2008, 38.15 million Taiwanese have traveled to China, making it the second most popular outbound destination after Japan.

Interestingly, the data revealed that the majority of visits to China were made by individuals in the 50-59 age group, followed closely by the 40-49 age group. In contrast, younger travelers aged 20-29 only accounted for a fraction of the visits, indicating a significant gap in travel preferences.

Experts attribute this gap to various factors, including the nature of Chinese travel, which emphasizes scenic beauty and historical exploration, as well as cultural affinity and political tensions between Taiwan and China. The decline in visits to China, especially among young people, coincided with the anti-extradition protests in Hong Kong in 2019.

The COVID-19 pandemic further impacted travel to China, with Taiwan imposing a ban on group travel to the country. Despite plans to resume organized tours, cross-strait tensions have delayed the process, leading to cancellations of tours scheduled for after June 1.

While there has been a gradual recovery in non-group tour visits to China, experts predict that even if cross-strait tourism fully reopens, Taiwanese visits to China may only reach about 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels due to political factors. The future of travel between Taiwan and China remains uncertain, with both sides hoping for a restoration of tourism exchanges in the near future.