Dubai-based Destination of the World (pictured) offers 5,600 unique hotel direct deals to WebBeds
Middle East travel and hospitality stakeholders expect Chinese outbound numbers to improve in 2024 and fully recover by 2025.
Amanda Elder, chief commercial officer and member of the management committee at Kempinski Hotels, told TTG Asia that although the number of Chinese guests at hotels in the Middle East is lower than at sister hotels in Bangkok, Bali and Singapore, , said that the company's performance was below. This year there has been a noticeable increase.
Dubai ranks as the most popular Middle East destination among Chinese outbound travelers, according to HBX Group
“We expect visitor numbers from China to return to pre-COVID-19 levels within the next 18 months,” Elder said.
According to HBX Group, one of the leading B2B players in the travel tech space, Chinese outbound to the Middle East increased by 10% year-on-year in fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024). The most popular Middle East destination among Chinese outbound travelers in 2024 was Dubai, followed by Doha, Medina and Kuwait.
Paul Anthony, director of digital commercialization at HBX Group, said: “Among Chinese nationals departing to destinations in the Middle East, around 30 per cent of arrivals stay between four and six nights; stay for 7 nights or more.'' Chinese people seek culture, shopping, and luxury experiences while in the Middle East. ”
DMCs in the region told TTG Asia that the incentive travel movement in China was found to be stronger than leisure travel.
Sameer Mehta, chief operating officer of Desert Adventures Tourism, said strengthening air links between China and the Middle East was a factor.
“Recently, we managed a large group of approximately 1,400 Chinese incentive recipients,” he said.
