Media Release

18 November 2009

The Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce has welcomed the New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office (NZCIO) announcement that New Zealand will waive visas for short term visitors from Taiwan.

From 30 November 2009, Taiwanese passport holders travelling to New Zealand for less than three months on business, as tourists, to visit friends or relatives or for short-term study under three months, will no longer be required to apply for a visa before they travel.

“This decision will facilitate the growth of the business, trade, tourism, and education links between New Zealand and Taiwan,” said Chamber CEO Charles Finny.

“Taiwan is important to New Zealand as our twelfth largest export market and a significant source of investment, students and migrants. Annual two-way trade currently stands at around $1.4 billion.

“The Wellington Chamber is keen to strengthen trade and investment links with Taiwan and easier travel access is an important component of this.

“The visa waiver is one of the initiatives we proposed at the jobs summit earlier in the year. We are pleased that the government has picked up this idea and run with it. We also proposed the removal of caps on the numbers applying for places under Working Holiday Schemes (including Taiwan). We look forward to the government agreeing to this policy change also.

“When Japan and the UK took a similar decision both countries experienced a substantial rise in tourist numbers from Taiwan.

“We hope the increased tourist numbers that will result from this decision will encourage thee re-establishment of direct air services between New Zealand and Taiwan,” Mr Finny said.

NZCIO is a subsidiary of the Wellington Chamber and promotes New Zealand’s economic and cultural interests in Taiwan.

ENDS

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