The Norwegian tourism industry is delighted to see the return of Chinese tourists, an official said during a recent tourism promotion event in Oslo.

Bjorn Krag Ingul, senior adviser at Innovation Norway, said that more Chinese visitors are now traveling to Norway independently, taking their time to explore new areas of the country, and showing a genuine interest in culture and daily life, instead of just visiting famous attractions for a quick selfie.

"In fact, their eagerness to discover hidden gems and lesser-known destinations has even surprised our visa division, who couldn't believe that Chinese travelers were aware of these places," he said on the sidelines of the "Chengdu, More Than Pandas "tourism promotion event.

These emerging trends, he said, align perfectly with the goals of Innovation Norway and its China-based office, the Scandinavian Tourist Board. The board aims to inspire and educate travel operators about the value of spending several days exploring Norway, no matter the season.

At the same time, China also encourages reciprocal visits from Norwegian travelers. In November last year, Norway was added to a list of countries eligible for the 144-hour visa-free transit policy to facilitate short stays. Chengdu is one of the cities where this exception applies.

Officials at the Chengdu event expressed hope that Norwegian travelers would plan a visit to their city, which is famous for its cultural heritage, natural beauty, and laid-back lifestyle.

"Chengdu is the hometown of the giant panda, but it offers much more than that," said Wang Jian, deputy director of the Chengdu municipal bureau of culture, broadcast, television and tourism, during the event.

"We warmly invite our Norwegian friends to stroll through the streets of Chengdu and experience the charm of this park city under snowcapped mountains," he said.