Taiwan is set to roll out the red carpet tomorrow for a landmark visit by Chinese tourists, who will be flying directly from the mainland -- something unthinkable until just a few weeks ago.

New Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou has worked quickly to fulfil his campaign promise of better ties with China, putting aside decades of official hostility since the two sides split in 1949 at the end of a civil war.

Taiwan banned direct trade and transport links after that, but the new flights are set to usher in a tourism boom as well as a friendly relationship that was impossible in the days of previous president Chen Shui-bian.

More than 700 visitors from the mainland are due to arrive tomorrow -- from Beijing, Shanghai and three other cities -- and will get a hearty welcome including a traditional lion dance that is part of Chinese celebrations.

"They will be warmly greeted," said an official from Taiwan's tourism bureau, which will also host a gala banquet for the visitors.

Ties between Taiwan and China have always been better than the public hostility from the two sides has acknowledged, and trade between them last year was more than 100 billion dollars.

But officially, China sees Taiwan as its territory waiting to be reclaimed by force if needed -- a stance, along with the robust US defence of Taipei, which has fuelled a massive arms build-up in the Taiwan Strait.

Ma swept to election victory in March, promising a new era in relations with China after the presidency of Chen, who even managed to anger close ally the United States with harsh rhetoric about China.

Ties with the mainland have since been strengthened almost overnight.

Taiwan banks can now exchange Chinese currency, limits on investing in the mainland have been eased, and some Chinese media outlets which were banned -- including China's state news agency -- now have approval to work on the island.

Last month Taiwan and China held their first direct talks in a decade, which led to the new agreement on direct flights that will put an end to the time-consuming and compulsory stopovers in Hong Kong or elsewhere.

The agreement also increased the daily number of tourists from both sides to 3,000 -- which looks set to give a particular boost to Taiwan's flagging economy.

Tourism officials say the extra visitors will provide a major bump for the industry, and bring in at least 60 billion Taiwan dollars annually.

There will be 36 direct flights across the Strait weekly, operating from Friday to Monday.

The first Chinese group is scheduled to arrive tomorrow morning aboard a China Southern Airlines flight from the mainland's southern Guangzhou city.

Taiwan television has been helping to build the hype surrounding the trip, showing footage of eager tourists applying for travel documents on the mainland.

The tourists are expected to make visits to Taipei 101, currently the world's tallest building, as well as the National Palace Museum and the official residence of late nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek.

"To the mainland tourists, these places are the must-sees in Taipei," said Webby Yang, advertising director of Phoenix Tours International.