The frequency of searching “Serbia” for tourism information increased by 480 percent month-to-month, according to Mafengwo, a Chinese travel SNS website.

The Danube River in Serbia (Photo: pixabay.com)

On March 15, while declaring a state emergency due to the epidemic, the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić asked China for assistance, resulting in the receival of medical supplies and experts from China, deepening the friendship between the two countries.

Closer relations between Serbia and China have driven a large number of Chinese tourists to search for tourism information about Serbia on online platforms in March, according to data from Mafengwo.

Mafengwo also showed the frequency of searching for tourism information on "travel strategies for Serbia" has increased by 279 percent month-to-month.

Chinese tourists have suspended long-haul and outbound travel plans due to the pneumonia outbreak, but people still expect to start new trips after the epidemic, said Feng Rao, director of the Mafengwo's tourism research center.

Feng also noted that Serbia, once a niche destination in Europe, will also see more Chinese visitors in the future thanks to its increasing popularity among the Chinese people during the outbreak.