Kresic views the expanded visa-free policy as a reflection of China's increasing openness to the world. 

The Chinese government's decision to extend its visa-free policy to nine additional countries, including Croatia, has been warmly received by Damir Kresic, managing director of Croatia's Institute for Tourism. 

Speaking to Xinhua on Monday, Kresic described the move as "definitely good news" that is expected to encourage more Croatian and European travelers to visit China. 

"I think that every visa-free policy helps tourism to develop, especially on an international level, so it is definitely good news," said Kresic from the Zagred-based Institute for Tourism, which specializes in research and consultancy services in tourism. 

China announced on Friday that ordinary passport holders from nine more countries -- Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, and Japan -- will enjoy visa-free entry on a one-year trial basis starting Nov. 30, 2024. This brings the total number of countries eligible for visa-free access to China to 38. 

Tourists from Switzerland pose for a group photo in front of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, or Qiniandian, at the Tiantan (Temple of Heaven) Park in Beijing, capital of China, July 9, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

Under this arrangement, visitors can enter China without a visa for stays of up to 30 days for purposes such as business, tourism, family visits, exchanges, and transit. 

Kresic emphasized the psychological advantages of such policies, noting that visa waivers make destinations feel "freer and more accessible" to travelers. "The waiver of visas reduces the psychological barriers that people have in some way," he said. 

China's growing reputation as a nation capable of executing major projects has also fueled interest among Croatians, according to Kresic. He cited the Peljesac Bridge project, which connected Croatia's mainland with the Peljesac Peninsula on the country's southern Adriatic coast for the first time in history. 

People take souvenir photos in front of the Peljesac Bridge in Komarna, Croatia, on Aug. 29, 2023. The Peljesac Bridge in the south of Croatia, built by a Chinese consortium led by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), connects the Croatian mainland with the Peljesac peninsula, giving the country a continuous land link that bypasses Bosnian territory. (Xinhua/Li Xuejun)

Moreover, Kresic views the expanded visa-free policy as a reflection of China's increasing openness to the world. "This is China's way of saying to the international community: You are welcome, you are all invited," he noted. 

The policy also strengthens bilateral relations between China and Croatia, which are already on good terms. "The latest visa-free policy certainly contributes to even better relations," Kresic said. 

Meanwhile, Kresic welcomes more Chinese tourists to Croatia, which has received as many as 300, 000 Chinese tourists annually before the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"Although we are still not at pre-pandemic levels, we are getting closer. I believe that we will have more and more tourists from China," he said.