leading tours to Taiwan

Since last year, the group tour to Taiwan for citizens from 13 provinces of China ( not every province) has been practically feasible. As for in my local province of Zhejiang, the market has been surging dramatically and keeps growing further, after the direct flights between provincial capital of Hangzhou and Taipei cut off the the tour charges by half from over 10,000. The recent months the total number of visitors from mainland has risen to over 20,000 monthly, half of who are from Zhejiang.

And May 1st will see a new tourism law coming into effect, which will shake the whole tourism market, esp. traveling aboard. And Taiwan tours then will become a new business profit and growth focus of all travel corporations.

I am a little skeptical about that above data, but I have to believe so.In the conference room full of new leaders , my manager friend was explaining to us about the practical information for leading groups to Taiwan. With the international tourism badly affected by the global crisis our tourism business hit the record low, with similar situation to year 2003 after the outbreak of SARS. Therefore, my friend offered me a chance to take domestic groups to Taiwan. After days of troubles linked to forms, photos, public notary related to my working experience, I finally was informed to his office to attend his warm-up class about this new destination:Taiwan, (even though I am not so sure about the result if I really can obtain this certificate or if I am interested to do it.)

So anyway, related to Taiwan,

1, tour leaders and visitors should avoid political issues during daily talks, and as well relevant places, like Jiang's mausoleum and residences etc. No wonder. The straits doesn't only separate geographically the island from the mainland, but also two political systems and regimes for 60 years after in 1949 Mao's army defeated Jiang gai-shek who flied off to Taiwan and thus establish this new regime on there. Still, the cross straits relations remain top issues between both sides.

2, keep instill the idea to the visitors, we go to Taiwan not to see natural landscapes. On this small island, there are spots with great view but not comparable to that of mainland China. The must-see spots, Sun-moon pools, A-li mountain, can't compete some local mountains in Zhejiang.
So, we go to Taiwan to see its society and culture, after 60 years' division and administration by Jiang's.( This is the reason why I never dream of visiting Taiwan on my to-go list.)

3, the most popular program is 8-day island circulation tour, from north downward south and then back to north in Taipei, which involves long bus transportation every day over 7-8 hours. (Exhausting isn't it? Major consideration for my taking the job.)

And more about currency exchange, warning, mobile phone usage, shopping arrangement etc.
So anyway possibly in April the earliest, I am going and hopefully maybe I can discover some fun there and in doing so.