Ambassador Mihelin Visits Cathay Pacific Headquarters

Hong Kong, 26 February 2026. The Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to the People's Republic of China, M.Sc. Dario Mihelin, held a meeting with the management of Cathay Pacific at their impressive headquarters in Hong Kong, Cathay City. The meeting, which was preceded by a tour of the headquarters, was held in continuation of previously established contacts in early 2023, immediately after the end of pandemic restrictions in the People's Republic of China, and especially considering the restoration of the company's flight network to Europe in the meantime.
 
Ambassador Mihelin emphasized the need for better transport connections between Croatia and China, which would consequently certainly contribute to greater tourist and other exchange between the two countries. He also expressed optimism regarding the future strengthening of business ties, which, along with tourism, are an understandable prerequisite for the establishment of flights. This is supported by the appearance of Croatian higher education institutions, which are currently participating in the Hong Kong APAIE 2026 conference and fair, in an unprecedented number, and Croatia's accession to the OECD by the end of 2026 will open up new perspectives for economic cooperation.
 
Croatia has been visited by around 21 million tourists in recent years, which is almost six times more than the total population, and has a long season, from April to November. Seasonal airline routes exist from the USA (Split and Dubrovnik), Canada and Korea (Zagreb), and seasonal flights would, for now, be a good start for flights from Hong Kong. The number of visitors from Hong Kong to Croatia was around 40 000 before the pandemic, while today there are around 10 000. Visitors from China totalled around half a million, and today there are already around 330 000. At the same time, the number of Croatian tourists in China is also growing, especially after the abolition of visas for tourist visits to China.
 
General Manager for Corporate Affairs Andy Wong pointed out that Cathay Pacific expects to take delivery of new aircraft in the next few years. There will be no new routes before then, but he advised that Croatia should focus on further increasing its visibility in China, strengthening tourism and business promotion, and all-round ties with China. Also, some destinations offer considerable airport incentives, which is a significant factor, given the high level of interest in new flights. The possibilities of cooperation between Cathay Pacific and Croatia Airlines were also discussed.

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