BEIJING: Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, is seeking to deepen tourism cooperation with China, senior Serbian officials said at a promotional event in Beijing on Monday.
At the event, titled “Meet Belgrade”, Miodrag Popovic, CEO of the Tourist Organization of Belgrade, said the city’s tourism industry had prospered thanks to its long history, rich cultural and natural attractions, and welcoming atmosphere. Chinese tourists have made a major contribution to the industry’s growth, he said.
In 2025, Belgrade received about 1.5 million visitors, including 114,341 from China, representing a year-on-year increase of 19 percent, Popovic said.
Introducing some of the city’s must-see attractions, including Kalemegdan, its largest park and a major historical landmark, and Knez Mihailova Street, its main pedestrian and shopping thoroughfare, he said Expo 2027, scheduled to run from May 15 to Aug 15 next year in Belgrade, would provide another draw for international visitors, including Chinese tourists.
The city is fully prepared to welcome more visitors from China, Popovic said, adding that he hoped to see more Chinese tourists experience Belgrade firsthand.
“We love people (tourists) from China, as they want to share everything they enjoy, and this is very important as we take it as ‘interactive’,” he said.
Jelena Nikolic, deputy ambassador of Serbia, said at the event that relations between China and Serbia had reached an unprecedented level in recent years, with the two governments actively supporting expanding tourism and cultural exchanges.
“Travel and people-to-people contacts have been especially boosted by the establishment of direct flights connecting Belgrade with Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, our mutual visa-free travel regime, as well as the active promotion of Serbian tourism across Chinese media,” she said.
“As a result, we are witnessing a growth in the number of visitors traveling from China to Serbia. At the same time, Serbian people are showing intense interest in China. More and more Serbian students are learning Chinese and gaining deep knowledge about China’s history, culture and nature,” she added.
Nikolic expressed hope that the profound friendship between the two countries, together with the hospitality of the Serbian people, would help spark a new wave of Chinese tourists visiting Belgrade.
Under current visa policies, Chinese citizens holding ordinary passports can stay in Serbia for up to 30 days without a visa for tourism, business or family visits. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
