Assistant Minister for Tourism Renata Pindžo participated in the 14th Fair of Tourism (COTTM) in China, which is one of the most important business events in the touristic industry focused on the emerging emitted touristic markets.
During her stay in Beijing, Mrs Pindžo met with Director of the Department for Promotion of Tourism and International Cooperation of the State Administration for Tourism of the PR China Zhang Lishong, and Deputy Director of the Municipal Committee for Tourism of Beijing Yoo Debin, with whom she spoke about the possible improvements of the cooperation and increase of the number of Chinese tourists in Serbia and the region.
Assistant Minister and the director of the touristic organisation of Serbia Marija Labović also had a meeting with the director of sale and marketing of Hainan Airlines, which announced the need, but also the opportunity of introduction of another weekly flight line between Belgrade and Beijing, which this airline company established in September 2017.
TOC in cooperation with the representatives of Hainan Airlines organised meetings, workshop for tour operators, attended by more than 50 organisers of touristic travels from China.
At the press conference where numerous Chinese journalists has the opportunity to learn more about the touristic offer of Serbia, particularly about the touristic offer of Vojvodina and Belgrade, Assistant Minister for Tourism said that Serbia is wide open to welcome Chinese tourists.
She said that she believed that with is rich cultural and historical heritage, beautiful nature, and specifically its hospitality Serbia will be even more attractive destination for Chinese tourists.
At the COTTM Fair there was a ceremonial signing of the agreement between the Touristic Organisation of Serbia and the fastest growing online travel agency in China Tongcheng International Travel Service, which will help the promotion of the touristic offer of Serbia through its digital platform creating various travel offers adjusted to the Chinese touristic market.
According to the data of the World Tourism Organisation of the United Nations, China continues positioning itself as the largest world market of travels and consumption.
Chinese tourists spend more on trips in Europe than travellers from other oversea markets, which is rather important for the touristic market of Serbia.
According to the Statistical Office of Serbia in 2017 the largest increase in the number of arrivals (180.8%) was registered in tourists from China, and that trend continues in 2018, where in the first two months there was an increase in the number of arrivals (253.7%), and the largest increase in the number of overnight stays of tourists from China and Hong Kong. (164.5%).
