Mainland travel made easy

"It will definitely produce a positive effect on travel, work and education for Taiwan residents in the mainland," she says.

Other than saving time and money, the move is expected to encourage multiple visits by individual travelers and increase business exchanges, says Zhang Youyin, a researcher with the tourism academy's Regional Tourism Planning and Development Institute.

Taiwan resident Chien Sean is thrilled about the policy. Sean visits the mainland three times a year on business.

"The removal of the permit will not only save costs for people like me but also make things easier for us to travel back and forth across the Straits," he says.

Cross-Straits exchanges have seen positive progress over the years.

The number of mainland cities whose residents can travel to Taiwan as individual travelers has been on the rise since 2011. In addition, Taiwan this year will extend the validity of a mainland traveler's permit to 10 years from five, according to the State Council notice.

In 1949, communication between the mainland and Taiwan broke down but travel resumed in the late 1980s. Since 2008, both sides have eased up several restrictions governing transport and tourism sectors.