Croatian tourism Minister Darko Lorencin, currently on a working visit to China, met with the Deputy Director of the China Tourism Association, Wu Wenxue, in Beijing on Wednesday to discuss ways of expanding tourism cooperation between the two countries and the need to step up the promotion of Croatia on the Chinese market.
According to a press release from the Tourism Ministry, Lorencin presented Croatia's tourism results from last year, saying that Croatia was mainly visited by Europeans, but that over the past few years there had been an increasing number of tourists from Asia, including China.
Wu said that Croatia was recognised in China as a holiday destination and that about 10,000 Croatians had visited China last year.
Lorencin highlighted the need for direct flights between the two countries in order to ensure closer ties, with which Wu concurred, saying that Croatia needed to step up its promotion in China. Wu said that this could be done by printing catalogues and brochures about Croatia in Chinese and that Croatia should ensure a sufficient number of tourist guides who can speak Chinese.
Also discussed was the organisation of a study trip to Croatia later this year for Chinese tour operators and journalists, and the Chinese application for Chinese to become one of the official languages of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
During his stay in Beijing, Lorencin is scheduled to meet with representatives of leading Chinese tour operators, airlines and media, as well as with the Director of the Civil Aviation Administration, Li Jianxiang.
(Hina)