TAIPEI -- Insiders of tourism industries across the Taiwan Straits on Monday joined an online conference to explore post-COVID-19 cooperation opportunities.

The meeting was the first of a two-day promotion project launched by the mainland-based Association for Tourism Exchange Across the Taiwan Straits to introduce the latest tourist attractions and policy changes on the mainland to tourism agencies in Taiwan.

Tourism industries on the two sides of the Straits were both heavily affected by the COVID-19 epidemic, and the two-way tourist exchanges were almost suspended, said Man Hongwei, deputy chief of the association, in Beijing via video link.

"Under these special circumstances, we have, for the first time, brought this promotion event online. We hope to maintain a communication channel between tourism industries across the Straits and explore cooperation potential together with our Taiwan counterparts," Man said.

People in Taiwan's tourism industry were looking forward to the event, said Lai Seh-jen, chairperson of Taiwan Tourism Interchange Association in Taipei, adding that 360 tickets to attend the event in Taiwan were booked within two days after the online registration started.

"We have learned that mutual assistance and cooperation are the best way to cope with the challenges brought by the epidemic," Lai said. "We hope the event will build a platform between tourism industries across the Straits and better prepare us for seizing business opportunities when the epidemic ends."

At Monday's online meeting, tourism officials from Beijing, Hebei and Heilongjiang briefed participants in Taipei and Kaohsiung about tourism projects related to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and tourist attractions in winter.

On Tuesday, the other two online meetings will introduce tourist attractions along the Silk Road and Maritime Silk Road.