Chinese airline for the Balkans soon

CSEBA (Chinese Southeast Europe Business Association) and its partners have started activities to found a new commercial airline.

The company will connect Croatia to cities in the region of Southeast Europe and Central Asia directly. Among others, it will provide a direct service between Zagreb and Belgrade, the first after 23 years.

Ticket prices are expected to be in the range of low-cost airlines.

- There will be tourist air charters between Croatia and China. Chinese tourists are seeking new destinations and due to recent iniciatives by the Croatian Tourism Ministry, the Chinese are very much interested in Croatia - CSEBA's Presidency President Mario Rendulic explained.

Last year, almost a hundred million passengers travelled outside China and Chinese tourists spent record USD 129 billion abroad.

Far-off markets like China hold a huge potential for Croatia's tourism industry. Chinese tourists have been making a continuous two-digit growth in the past years.

In 2013, 43,000 Chinese tourists visited Croatia and spent 65,000 nights, with figures expected to rise even further.