Serbian President Fronts Campaign to Lure Chinese Tourists

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has become a direct part of a campaign to attract tourists from China, with his photo on posters inviting Chinese people to visit Serbia, as a part of broader campaign of promoting Serbia in the country.

Serbia's embassy in China has published a promotional video marking the start of the campaign that includes posters of Vucic and Tourist Organisation of Serbia chief Marija Labovic inviting people to come to Serbia.

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, borders have closed and tourist arrangements have stopped. However, tourist boss Labovic said they were launching the new campaign in China with a view to luring visitors once the pandemic is over.

Labovic said they wanted to make sure that people in China "do not forget about Serbia, that Serbia is in their focus even if they cannot travel at this moment; we want them to be there, we want them to keep an eye on us, so that when this crisis passes, we will be the first country of choice for their trip abroad," Labovic said.

Poster with Serbia's president published on Serbia's Embassy in China account on Weibo social network.

She added that President Vucic was "in some way a participant in the campaign" because he "enjoys great popularity in China".

In September 2019, the Tourist Organisation of Serbia signed a contract with a Chinese company, Alibaba, to promote the Balkan country on all of Alibaba's platforms and on social networks like WeChat and Weibo.

Tourism Minister Rasim Ljajic, who announced the signing of the contract at the China International Fair for Investment and Trade, said the contract meant active promotion of Serbia would start by November 30, 2019.

"On all Alibaba platforms, especially on Fliggy, but also on other...

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