TAIPEI, Dec. 25 -- Individual tourists (without contracts to travel agencies) from the Chinese mainland have paid 500,000 visits to Taiwan in 2013, up 176 percent on last year, according to Taiwan authorities.

The island expects one million mainland visitors next year.

Taiwan first opened the door to individual tourists from mainland cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen in 2011 and okayed ten more mainland cities for individual tours in 2012.