好消息:个人赴台游试点将启动

Mainland and Taiwan authorities have reached a breakthrough on cross-strait travel. A pilot program that will allow mainlanders to visit Taiwan as individual tourists will be launched on June 28th.
大陆和台湾当局在两岸旅游方面已经取得突破性进展。一个允许大陆居民赴台进行个人游的试点项目将在6月28日启动。

In Shanghai, people began arriving at the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau early in the morning. They are excited about catching the first bus to Taiwan as individual tourists. Nearly one hundred people have submitted their applications and are expecting to make the journey across the straits next Tuesday.
在上海，人们早上就开始抵达出入境管理局。赶上赴台个人游的第一班班车，他们觉得很兴奋。近百人已经提交了他们的申请书，期待着下周二到海峡对岸旅游。

Mrs. Feng, a Shanghai resident, said, “I've been to Taiwan on a group tour. At that time, they only gave us one-day off to look around the city. I think this is too rushed for me to visit my relatives over there. After years of waiting, I'm so glad that we can visit Taiwan as individuals. Now I can take my time visiting my relatives.”
上海居民冯太太表示：“我跟团游过台湾。在那时，他们只给我们一天的时间自由游览该城市。我觉得这对要去走访在那边的亲戚的我来说太赶了。在多年翘首期待之后，我能以个人游游客的身份赴台，我太高兴了。现在我可以从容不迫地拜访我的亲戚。”

Another Shanghai resident Mr. Ma said, "Last time I visited Taiwan with a sightseeing group. The experience that time was not good because we can't arrange our own schedule. The individual visit will allow us to have more time of our own. I'm really looking forward to the journey ahead."
另一个上海居民马先生称：“上次我是跟着一个观光团游台湾的。那次的经历不是很好，因为我们不能安排自己的行程。这次的个人游允许我们有更多自己的时间。我真的很期盼即将到来的旅行。”

The application procedures to visit Taiwan are similar to those for Hong Kong and Macau. Applicants are required to submit the relevant materials in person, and can collect their pass ten days later. Travel agencies can complete the procedures even faster.
赴台游的申请程序和赴港、赴澳游一样。申请人要提交相关的个人资料，而且在10天之后能领到他们的护照。旅行社可以较快地办好这些手续。

Mr. Tang, a local travel agency staff, said, "After we have all the required materials, we will send them to local travel agencies in Taiwan. They will help us to make the pass for exit and entry. It doesn't take long. I think we can get the pass after about two days."
当地旅行社的员工唐先生表示：“在拿到所有要求的资料之后，我们会把它们送到台湾当地的旅行社。他们会帮我们办理出入境护照。这不会花很长时间。我想我们大约在两天之后就能拿到护照。”

According to the travel agency in Shanghai, most of the individual visitors set their itinerary around Taipei for about five or six days. The overall cost will range from 4,000 to 7,000 yuan.
根据上海旅行社的说法，大多数个人游的游客把他们行程定在台北附近，时间大约五六天。全部费用从四千元到七千元不等。

The conference yesterday between the Mainland's Association for Relation Across the Taiwan Straits, and its Taiwan counterpart the Taiwan Strait Exchange Foundation, produced a concrete plan to add more direct flights across the straits. The number of passenger flights is expected to increase from 370 flights per week to 558 flights per week, 50 percent more than before. Up to 50 new flight destinations will be added under the new arrangement. Individual tourists will benefit most from the new plan with more convenience and choice than ever before. The new plan will allow them to have a more hands-on experience of life in Taiwan.
昨天，在海峡两岸关系协会和海峡交流基金会共同举行的会议上，产生了增加两岸直航班机的具体方案。客运班机的数量预计从每周370班航班增加到每周558班航班，比以前多了50%。在新的协议下，新增的航班目的地多达50个。个人游的游客将是这个新方案的最大受益者，跟以前相比，他们出行更方便，选择更多。该新方案使他们拥有一个更多的亲身体验台湾生活的经历。