Shu Rongjuan, 63, a resident of Longyan city, Fujian province, is thrilled with the news that many more Chinese from the mainland will soon be able to travel to Taiwan by themselves instead of in groups as has been the case for decades.

Her relatives live in Taiwan and she can't wait to visit them. The many challenges of trying to find a tourist group bothered her earlier.

The Beijing-based Association for Tourism Exchange across the Taiwan Straits announced on March 18 that individual travelers from 11 cities on the mainland can visit Taiwan from April 15.