Chinese tourists who have visited Taiwan since July 4 gave an average approval rating of 91 percent to tourism in Taiwan, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday.

Since the first Chinese tourist group arrived in Taiwan on July 4 via direct cross-strait charter flights and the formal launch of the program on July 18, a total of 540 groups comprising 14,190 tourists had visited Taiwan as of yesterday, a report said.

Minister of Transportation and Communications Mao Chi-kuo is scheduled to present the report at the Legislative Yuan today on the results of the opening to Chinese tourists and direct charter flights.

Ministry officials said that the number of Chinese tourist arrivals was not as high as originally expected in the first month of the opening.

The number showed a remarkable surge on Friday after officials from both sides communicated on the matter, simplified procedures and reduced barriers.

Before the inaugural flights in July, direct cross-strait air travel had been barred for decades out of security concerns.