Ljubljana, Slovenia - Recent

Local residents and business community in Slovenia say they welcome China's visa-free policy arrangement with their country, which came into effect on Tuesday.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, from October 15, 2024 to December 31, 2025, ordinary passport holders from Portugal, Greece, Cyprus and Slovenia do not need a visa to enter China for business, tourism, family visit and transit purposes for up to 15 days.

For some in Slovenia, easing restrictions on travel to China is a very welcome policy change and one that is expected to be a significant step forward in fostering connections between the two countries.

Slovenia is a beautiful country that every year attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists from around the world. Slovenians themselves love to travel, and a visa-free agreement makes travel to China more attractive than ever.

Sanela Ksela is a local entrepreneur who has traveled over a dozen times to China, documenting her adventures on video.

Ksela welcomes the new visa policy, as she looks forward to her next trip in just a few months.

It is not only tourists looking forward to easier travel. The business community in Slovenia is also optimistic about the new arrangement.

Slovenia's economy is export-oriented, and it is hoped easier business travel could be a shot-in-the-arm for trade.

The new visa-free policy is expected to unlock new business opportunities for both countries.

Prior to these four countries, China had extended its unilateral visa-free policy to travelers holding ordinary passport from 15 other countries, including France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland, starting from December 2023.

Shotlist:
Ljubljana, Slovenia - Recent:
1. Tourists in square;
2. National flag of Slovenia, flag of Ljubljana City;
3. Tourists taking photo;
4. SOUNDBITE (Slovenian, dubbed with English) Igor Podgorsek, tour guide, Oskar Tour Agency:
"For almost 30 years, we have been talking about how we could reduce the burden of administration and bureaucracy in securing visas, and this is certainly a long way forward! People were discouraged by the idea that they had to make arrangements two or three weeks in advance.";
5. Various of pedestrians, tourists;
6. Various of local entrepreneur Sanela Ksela using phone;
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Sanela Ksela, local entrepreneur (partially overlaid with shot 8):
"First time when I went to China in 2013, I just fell in love with it and also with the Chinese language, and it was just something that I recognized it is going to be my path in my life. I think that if we would have a direct flight from Ljubljana to China, it would benefit and make also my life easier and traveling easier to China.";
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
FILE: China - Exact Location and Date Unknown
8. Ksela walking in square;
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
Ljubljana, Slovenia - Recent
9. Various of tourists;
10. Various of flags;
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Marjana Majeric, executive manager, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia:
"Visa-free travel could improve the competitiveness by allowing Slovenian companies faster response to the market demand and, of course, quicker site visit and better engagement with the potential Chinese partner.";
12. Various of tourists, pedestrians walking.

[Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]