BELGRADE (Serbia), June 27 (SeeNews) – China's Hainan Airlines plans to start operating a direct Beijing-Belgrade flight in 2018, Serbian media reported.
Serbia is still in talks on some of the details of the service, but the flight will definitely be launched, increasingly significantly the number of Chinese tourists in the country, daily Politika quoted on Friday trade minister Rasim Ljajic as saying.
As of September 15, Hainan Airlines will start operating two weekly flights between Belgrade and Beijing via Prague, Politika reported.
Chinese tourists usually visit more than one country and the Serbian Ministry of Trade and Tourism is already working on the development of a joint tourist product with Hungary, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ljajic said.
The number of Chinese tourists in Serbia rose by 167% on the year in the first four months of 2017, Ljajic noted.
Hainan Airlines initially planned to launch a direct flight connecting Beijing to Zagreb, but changed its plans after Serbia removed the visas for Chinese citizens, Politika reported.
HNA Group, the parent of Hainan Airlines, is reportedly expected to place a binding bid in a tender for a 25-year concession of Belgrade international airport Aerodrom Nikola Tesla until September 4.
Hainan Airlines started operating a direct regular flight route between Prague and Beijing in September 2015, data from the website of Prague airport showed.