Norway's travel fair sees growing interest in China travel

OSLO, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Norway's largest travel fair TravelXpo opened on Friday, with "Hello, China!" booth drawing many visitors.

The booth, featuring distinctive Chinese cultural elements, showcases China tourism facilitation policies and measures to local visitors.

Anniken Arntsberg, a girl from Nordland, a county located in the northern part of the country, told Xinhua that she will go to China soon and she came here to gather some last-minute tips.

"China is a country that I've always dreamed of visiting. When I heard about the visa-free policy for Norway, my friends and I immediately added China to our travel wish list," she said.

"The visa-free policy has greatly increased Norwegian tourists' interest in China," said Zhang Liming, an exhibitor specializing in arranging trips for Norwegian travelers to China.

Since November last year, a notable rise in group tours and inquiries about travel to China has been witnessed, Zhang said.

Ola Roneid, senior advisor at Innovation Norway's tourism division, said the resumption of Hainan Airlines' direct flights between Beijing and Oslo in March, coupled with China's visa-free policy, will significantly enhance people-to-people exchanges between the two nations.