In 1988 reforms in Taiwan were extended to allow visits to the mainland, which simultaneously made pilgrimages to Matsu temples all the rage. In the same year Meizhou Island was consequently designated by Fujian Province as a "Foreign Tourism Economic Zone."
一九八八年開放赴大陸探親，也同時展開了媽祖朝聖的熱潮，湄洲島因而在同年被福建省闢為「地外開放旅遊經濟區」。