Taiwan and the mainland plan to open tour offices in each other’s territories at the end of 2009, another sign of warming cross strait relations, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a Taiwanese official. This would be the first time tourism offices had been set up since Taiwan split from the mainland in 1949. David Hsieh, Taiwan’s tourism bureau deputy director-general said that the mainland’s Cross-Straits Tourism Exchange Association would open an office in Taipei and the Taiwan Strait Tourism Association would open an office in Beijing. Hsieh said the offices would promote tourism and deal with tourist disputes and accidents. They may also be staffed by government officials.