Hong Kong's domestic helpers, including a growing number of foreign domestic helpers, are crossing the border to spend their holidays in mainland China [a0493254]. This trend has led to an increase in the business of travel agencies offering low-fare day trips across the border [a0493254]. For example, Filipino domestic helper Afolin Candaza has joined three day-trip group tours to Guangdong province since August of last year [a0493254]. The last trip she joined took her and a group of over 30 helpers to the Yinxian resort in Dongguan, with a tour package costing HK$350 per person [a0493254]. Leynie Lascano, another domestic helper from the Philippines, joined a group of over 40 helpers on a day trip to the Window of the World theme park in Shenzhen [a0493254].
The growing interest among domestic helpers in exploring mainland China has significantly boosted the business of travel agencies offering low-fare day trips across the border [a0493254]. C&C Express Travel, a local agency, has launched a new HK$450 day-tour to Qingyuan city in northern Guangdong, specifically targeting helpers [a0493254]. The agency also offers three other mainland day trips for helpers, charging between HK$350 and HK$450 [a0493254]. The strong momentum has continued, with about 50 helpers joining the trips each Sunday, and over 400 helpers joining the tours during this year's Lunar New Year holiday [a0493254]. The trend is driven by the desire to explore new places, enjoy tourist attractions, try local food, find cheap bargains, and experience the hospitality of local people in mainland China [a0493254].
In related news, a small tour group from mainland China has arrived in Taiwan's Matsu Islands, becoming the first group tour to visit the islands since Beijing loosened travel restrictions following the Covid-19 pandemic [8e6bbc1d]. The seven-member tour group departed from a pier in Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province, and arrived in the Matsu Islands [8e6bbc1d]. They will spend three days exploring tourist attractions including the Giant Matsu Statue, the Matsu Liquor Factory Industry Co, Qinbi Village, and the Beihai Tunnel [8e6bbc1d]. The mainland visitors, who are employed in industries such as trade and tourism, are hoping to explore business opportunities across the Taiwan Strait in addition to sightseeing [8e6bbc1d]. This trip was made possible by Beijing's announcement in April that residents of Fujian would be the first from the mainland to be permitted to visit the Matsu Islands [8e6bbc1d]. Mainland travellers were once the top contributors to tourism in Taiwan, but travel restrictions imposed by both sides have led to a sharp decline in tourist visits in recent years [8e6bbc1d]. The mainland suspended individual travel to Taiwan in August 2019, citing the tense state of cross-strait relations. This was followed by both sides halting group travel in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic [8e6bbc1d]. Taiwanese authorities pushed to resume tourism exchanges, but said in February that Beijing had been unwilling to reciprocate by allowing mainland group tours to visit Taiwan [8e6bbc1d]. In response, Taiwan prohibited tour groups from the island from visiting mainland China [8e6bbc1d]. In a notable exception to the travel restrictions, mainland tourists living in a third country or region have been permitted to visit Taiwan under a policy that went into effect in September of last year [8e6bbc1d].