Taipei, Dec. 24 (CNA) The visa-free privilege granted by Taiwan to the Philippines has doubled the number of visits by Filipinos in November, according to statistic provided by Taiwan's National Immigration Agency (NIA).
Since Taiwan granted the visa-free entry on Nov. 1, the country has received 31,747 visitors from the Philippines, up 107.66 percent compared to the same period last year that saw 15,288 trips made by Filipinos, the NIA said.
About 23.6 percent of the visitors, or 7,500, traveled visa-free with their passports that allowed for a stay of up to 14 days, the NIA said.
For the purpose of tourism alone, the increase was more visible in November when the number of Filipino tourist arrivals grew to 18,679, or a year-on-year growth of about 230 percent, the NIA said.
The measure, part of the government's efforts to enhance Taiwan's bilateral ties with the neighboring Southeast Asian country, one of the 18 target countries under its New Southbound Policy, will undergo a nine-month trial period that will last until July 31, 2018.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that it will review whether the visa-free privilege should be further extended after the trial program ends.
