Beijing entrepreneur Li Jinxun's first trip to Taiwan was a life-changing experience, but not because of the sightseeing.
The 46-year-old took advantage of a short trip to the island last month to undergo minor cosmetic surgery at a clinic in Kaohsiung city, something he said had made him feel younger and better looking.
"I'm very satisfied. I feel better already," he told AFP.
Li, who runs a construction firm, is among a new wave of affluent Chinese eager to fit some nips and tucks into their trips to Taiwan, where they can expect to find better medical staff and facilities than back home.
"I think the doctors in Taiwan are more skillful, the clinic is comfortable and the service is more cordial" than on the mainland, he said.
The 30 members of Li's tour group paid 100,000 Taiwan dollars (3,125 US) on average for a nine-day trip covering sightseeing and cosmetic enhancements, according to the Kaohsiung Aesthetic Medical Tourism Promotion Association.
They opted for simple procedures, such as tooth whitening, botox injections to smooth wrinkles and surgery to remove bags under the eyes or create double eyelids -- a popular procedure in Asia aimed at making the eyes look bigger.
"The demand from China is much higher than what we'd expected, and the visitors just keep coming in," said Chen Chun-ting, secretary-general of the association, which plans to host three 100-member mainland groups in January.
