This was highlighted, among other things, at the first regional conference on the Chinese tourism market, sponsored by the Zagreb-based consulting company ProConcept and the Singapore-based marketing agency IPPWorld, bringing together local and regional tourist agencies and other professionals already working or willing to work with Chinese market.

"In Croatia, it is a very common mistake to perceive the Chinese tourism market, and it is not enough to understand that the Chinese are" knocked out "first by the expense of their tourists. They are not tourists who are just" walking "in several cities and countries. a short time or those who are looking for low prices and little to spend - even the opposite - around 300 billion euros in the world last year, and this figure is growing every year, as the standard increases, as the number of Chinese people who have a passport and want to travel increases "said ProConcept Director Andreja Gazdek.

By 2018, only about six percent of China had a passport, which means about 80 million, and it is expected that the 2020 passport will have 200 million. In 36 countries in the world, the Chinese can go without a visa, including in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in 44 countries visa is issued at the entrance to the country.

Joanne Chan of the IPPWorld said that it is very important to promote on Chinese social networks, such as WeChat, Weibo and Baidu, which are Chinese equivalents of Facebook, Instagram and others, which are not used in China at all. Chan believes that all tourist service providers in Croatia should take a more proactive attitude towards Chinese tourists, and mobile applications in the Chinese language would also come in handy.

Siniša Malus from the Chinese Southeast Europe Business Association (CSEBA) believes that Croatia can expect a significant increase in Chinese tourist arrivals this year, as well as in the coming years, with the new momentum of friendly and diplomatic ties between the two countries.

"Tourism and overall economic co-operation with the Chinese market is also growing, and the opening of the HTZ and HGK offices in Shanghai is also beneficial, and all this is gaining momentum with the arrival of Chinese investors not only for the Peljesac Bridge but also for other projects such as the construction of hotels in Krapina And in Zadar, where they are interested in both the air and sea ports, Malus said.

He also believes that Summit 16 + 1 will be used in April in Dubrovnik, where many Chinese big companies are going to come.