TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwanese visitors and transit passengers heading for Hong Kong and Macau should register their contact details for safety reasons, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said Wednesday (Feb. 7).
The measure, made on the eve of the seven-day Lunar New Year holiday period, was a suggestion and not mandatory, CNA reported. The online forms for individual travelers and tour group members to register on the MAC website ask questions about contact details, document information, and itinerary.
The government department also reminded travelers that Hong Kong and Macau had different rules about forbidden objects on board flights, including tasers, knives, and types of tobacco products. Paying attention to the differences might save time in the case of problems, the MAC said.
If Taiwanese travelers still encounter difficulties, they can contact 24-hour emergency phone lines in Hong Kong and Macau. The Taiwanese offices in both areas are named “Taipei Economic and Cultural Office.”
Earlier Wednesday, the government told travel agencies to stop recruiting customers to join tour groups to China. The announcement by the Tourism Administration followed Beijing’s unilateral decision to alter flight routes over the Taiwan Strait.