00:001.8.11. This is the launch!
00:05Accompanied by the blare of a ship's horn,
00:07Jilong in northern Taiwan and Ishigaki in Japan
00:10are celebrating the opening of an exclusive ferry route linking the two port cities.
00:16Each year, more than 200,000 travelers from Taiwan
00:19board cruise ships and planes bound for Ishigaki, a beloved tourist destination.
00:25Officials in Jilong say a direct, convenient route between the two destinations
00:30has been a long time in the making.
00:46Ishigaki is one of Japan's closest islands to Taiwan,
00:50taking just seven to eight hours to reach Jilong by boat.
00:53The mayor of Ishigaki has come to Jilong to witness the grand opening,
00:58saying he hopes to boost future two-way tourism.
01:04Ishigaki Island is a famous tourist destination in Japan.
01:08While 1.2 million Japanese tourists visit it annually,
01:11we believe the launch of this new ship will allow Japanese tourists
01:15to extend their trips even further and visit Taiwan's Jilong.
01:19We also believe that while Taiwanese visitors have previously arrived by cruise ship,
01:24this new ferry will allow them to travel even further too.
01:28The new ferry departs Jilong in the late evening and arrives in Ishigaki in the early morning.
01:33That's why it offers guest rooms,
01:36ranging from basic 15-person Japanese-style rooms to luxury family suites.
01:58With plans to add more sailings each week,
02:04officials hope this new maritime route will turn the commute into a gateway of its own.
02:09While flying to Ishigaki only takes an hour,
02:12the new Yamamaru ferry offers a cheaper, more scenic route,
02:16turning the journey into part of the vacation.
02:18Andy Xue and Irene Lin in Jilong for Taiwan Plus.
02:21Thank you very much.
02:22Thank you so much.
Comments