Following extensive cooperation between the Saudi Arabian and Chinese tourism industries, Saudi Arabia will officially become a designated tourist destination for Chinese travelers from July 1.
Initiatives include streamlining visa procedures, reducing costs and increasing air capacity by more than 130 percent to enhance the experience for Chinese tourists. Chinese tourists will also be able to use convenient payment systems such as UnionPay, as well as receive Chinese language support, at Saudi Arabia’s airports, destinations and tourist attractions.
As reported, one of Saudi Arabia’s biggest tourism ventures is the Red Sea Project. The area is being developed under the guidance of state and local developers as part of Saudi Arabia Vision 2030. By 2030, up to 8,000 new hotel rooms are expected to open across 50 resorts, including Four Seasons, Rosewood and St. Regis Red Sea Resort.
The Saudi Arabian government has set a goal of welcoming up to 5 million Chinese tourists by 2030. To reach this ambitious goal, the Kingdom has increased the number of daily flights between China and Saudi Arabia, allowed Chinese travelers to apply for visas on arrival, launched a Chinese version of its travel website, and collaborated with major travel agencies on marketing campaigns.
Meanwhile, the number of Chinese tourists visiting neighboring Dubai doubled in the first four months of 2024.
Saud Hareb Al Muheiri, assistant manager at Dubai Tourism, reported that the city is seeing a significant increase in Chinese tourists, with overnight stays expected to reach 620,000 by 2023.
By April 2024, approximately 290,000 Chinese tourists visited Dubai, marking a 101% increase year-on-year. China, which was Dubai’s fifth-largest tourism market before the pandemic, has regained momentum since the borders reopened, buoyed by Dubai’s visa-free policy and efforts to attract Chinese tourists.
Direct flights from 14 Chinese cities and the popularity of Alipay and WeChat have made Dubai even more attractive to Chinese tourists.
