Beijing, Dec 04: China's first group of 34 tourists to the newly-opened tourism destination of Croatia disappeared in the capital city of Zagreb on Monday, the day their visas expired, the state media reported today. "Officials are quite concerned about the incident, but details would not be clear until Croatian police give a report," a Chinese daily quoted an official of the Chinese Embassy in Croatia as saying.
"So far we do not know who these Chinese are, where they are from, or which travel agency is involved,'' Shi Chunyang, an embassy official, said.
Local media reported that the Chinese, who are believed to be from Shanghai, failed to board a bus that was to take them to Zagreb airport on Monday.
The group had paid their bill at the Golden Tulip Holiday Hotel, where they left part of their luggage, as if they were still staying, police said.
The hotel is less than 16 kilometres from Croatia's border with Slovenia, prompting media speculation that the tourists may have tried to slip into western Europe.
Croatia lies on a notorious Balkan route used by illegal immigrants trying to get to the west from eastern Europe, the Middle East or Asia.
"There are only a few hundred Chinese people living in Croatia, who are mainly involved in trade or the restaurant businesses. Seldom are there reports about illegal immigration of Chinese in this country," the Chinese Embassy said. Bureau Report