China-Czech tourism event strengthens bilateral ties

PRAGUE, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- The "Nihao! China," a promotion event for Chinese tourism, was recently held at Prague Airport to strengthen tourism exchanges between China and the Czech Republic.

The conference, organized by the Chinese Embassy in the Czech Republic and Hainan Airlines and co-organized by the Czech Association of Tour Operators and Travel Agents, attracted more than 40 Czech travel agencies.

Hao Hong, the Chinese embassy's counselor for culture and tourism, outlined measures introduced by the Chinese government over the past two years to ease travel for foreign tourists. These include digital payment systems, optimized visa and customs policies, accelerated restoration of international flights, and improved comprehensive services for inbound tourism.

Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the Czech Republic, Hao emphasized that this event would promote tourism cooperation, deepen mutual understanding, and strengthen friendly relations between the two nations.

Also at the conference, Peng Wei, director of the consular and administrative office at the Chinese embassy, introduced the policies and procedures for Czech citizens to apply for Chinese visas. Hainan Airlines' Prague office emphasized their direct flights between Beijing and Prague, which was launched at the end of June.

According to the Czech Tourism Authority, Chinese tourist arrivals surged 121 percent in the third quarter of this year, the highest among several countries, including Israel (40 percent), Turkey (25 percent), Saudi Arabia (23 percent), and Canada (20 percent), thanks to new direct flights.

Attendees, especially the representatives of Czech travel agencies, said the event provided valuable insights into China's tourism facilitation measures, encouraging them to actively promote travel to China.