TAIPEI: With 390 days left in the countdown to the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, ticket sales in Taiwan were launched last week, with the commissioned travel agent expressing confidence that Taiwanese tourists will attend the international extravaganza in large numbers.

"Ever since it was established in 1851, World Expo has attracted global attention, as it is a display of the world's civilization," said Chou Ching-shyong, chairman of China Travel Services Taiwan, at a news conference in Taipei.

"I believe the 2010 Shanghai World Expo will attract more Taiwanese tourists than any other fair because of the proximity of Shanghai and common Chinese language used on both sides," Chou said.

He forecast that the number of Taiwanese tourists to the Shanghai fair will exceed the 70,000 that attended the 2003 Aichi World Expo in Japan. However, it is hard to predict exact figures. Several variables can enter into play, such as the availability of seating on cross-Straits charter flights, he added.

Responding to the mainland government's estimate that 400,000 Taiwanese tourists would visit Shanghai during Expo, Chou called the projection optimistic and even bold.

The Shanghai Expo will be held from May 1 to Oct 31 2010, on the theme "Better City, Better Life". It is expected to draw participants from 232 countries, regions and international organizations, and an estimated 70 million local and overseas visitors. If that mark is achieved, Shanghai would earn the distinction of being the largest World Expo in the fair's 159-year history.

Chen Xianjin, deputy director of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, said at the news conference that the Shanghai Expo will be a gathering of the world's civilizations in communication, understanding, and joy.

"The expo will also serve as a platform of friendship and cooperation between Taiwan and the mainland," he said. Taiwanese tourists are welcome to visit the Shanghai Expo, along with the Taiwanese companies that will set up in the business pavilion to tap into global business opportunities, he added.

Taipei city will take part in the expo, showcasing its success in turning itself into a wireless city and managing recycling. Taipei's participation will come under the fair's subsidiary theme of "Urban Best Practices Area", a platform for cities to share experiences in urban development and construction.

China Daily/CNA