The first post-COVID-19 tour group from China's Xiamen City is set to wrap up
a two day visit to Kinmen.

The 22-member group traveled to Shui-She Pier on Sunday through a direct
ferry which connects Kinmen County and Matsu Islands with Fujian Province....
they were greeted by a lion dance performance organized by the Kinmen County
government.

The visit came days after seven travel industry representatives from Xiamen
traveled to the outlying island last Wednesday for what county officials
described as a "three-day familiarization tour."

The Kinmen County Government says both trips were a result of joint efforts
by multiple sectors.

China halted independent travel to Taiwan on Aug. 1, 2019, citing the poor
state of cross-strait relations... and ferry services between Taiwan and
China were suspended in February 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism indicated in August of this year,
that Beijing would lift restrictions on group and independent travel for
residents in Fujian province to Kinmen.