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Air China launches new route Beijing - Bucharest - Zagreb which will circulate three times a week throughout the year.
For Croatian tourism, the new connection means significantly better accessibility to one of the world's largest emitting markets, but it also raises the question of how well Croatia will be able to convert this accessibility into longer stays and greater tourist spending.
The first Air China aircraft on the new Beijing - Bucharest route landed at Franjo Tuđman Airport in Zagreb today. The Chinese national carrier will operate the new route on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with Airbus A330-200 aircraft.
It's about year-round regular relationship which significantly improves the accessibility of the Croatian market to Chinese tourists and business travelers. Of particular importance is the fact that passengers between Beijing and Zagreb, although the flight is via Bucharest, do not have to change planes.
Representatives of state institutions, the tourism sector, the business community and the aviation industry gathered at the ceremonial welcoming of the first flight in Zagreb.
Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Croatia Qi Qianjin He emphasized that the significance of the new line goes beyond just traffic connectivity.
"This air route between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Croatia goes beyond its transport function and represents a bridge of friendship connecting our peoples. The establishment of this direct connection will further enhance the possibilities of bilateral cooperation and give a strong impetus to exchange and mutual learning and networking in the fields of economy, tourism, culture, sports, education and other areas of mutual interest.", said Qianjin.
State Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Monika Udovicic he sees the new line first of all as an important step towards a stronger positioning of Croatia on the Chinese market.
"The establishment of this line is an important step forward for Croatian tourism because it connects us more strongly with one of the world's most important emitting markets. Chinese guests are extremely important for Croatian tourism and I am particularly pleased that with this line we are opening up even more opportunities for them to travel to Croatia more easily and more easily.", Udovičić pointed out.
She emphasized that presence in distant markets is being built continuously through transport connections, promotion and long-term partnerships, and that the new line also opens up space for economic, investment and sports cooperation.
Zagreb sees opportunity for longer stays for Chinese guests
Director of the Zagreb Tourist Board Martina Bienenfeld points out that Zagreb is gaining better access to the Chinese market with the new line at a time when Chinese travelers' interest in Croatia is growing.
"For Zagreb, this is an important step forward in connecting with the Chinese market, especially at a time when Chinese travelers' interest in Zagreb and Croatia is growing. Regular air connections make our city more accessible and bring additional potential for growth in tourist traffic and longer stays of Chinese guests."
According to Bienenfeld, the line builds on more than three decades of friendship and cooperation between Zagreb and Beijing, and its significance does not end just with tourism, but opens up space for economic, investment and cultural contacts.
For Zagreb, the possibility of stronger representation to the Chinese market as a year-round European destination that combines culture, gastronomy and urban life, but also as a starting point to other parts of Croatia and Europe, is particularly interesting.
Zagreb County: Availability is a prerequisite for demand
The new line also opens up additional opportunities for Zagreb County, in whose territory Zagreb International Airport is located.
Director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board Ivana Alilović emphasizes how remote markets without quality transport connections can hardly realize their full tourism potential.
"Accessibility is a prerequisite for any demand. Without direct connectivity, distant markets remain theoretical, no matter how well positioned they are. With this line, Croatia, but also my Zagreb County and the city of Velika Gorica, are included on the map of trips that are planned months in advance.
He particularly draws attention to the spending structure of guests from Asian markets. According to the TOMAS Croatia 2022/2023 survey, cited by Alilović, guests from Asian markets in Croatia spend around €155, higher than the average of around 140 euros, but at the same time they have the shortest stay among foreign markets.
That is precisely why the room for growth is not only in the number of arrivals but also in length of stay.
"The first landscape, the first taste and the first story about Croatia can happen right here, in the green ring around Zagreb. Our task is to turn this proximity into content. Wine roads, family farms, signature gastronomy, heritage and a landscape that remains in the memory. Every extra day spent on the continent is a measurable value for the entire destination."Alilović points out.
This is also the main tourist value of the new line.
Air connectivity opens up the market, but does not in itself create a tourism product. For Zagreb, Zagreb County, and the rest of Croatia, the more important part of the job now comes: turning the new accessibility into concrete itineraries, products, and reasons why Chinese guests will stay in Croatia for more than a few days.
With its new route, Air China gives Croatia what is the basis for any serious development of demand in distant markets - predictable, continuous and year-round availabilityWhether it will result in only a higher number of arrivals or also greater value for the destination will depend on what we offer the guest after they land in Zagreb.
