|
Exclusive insights from Dragon Trail International reveal Saudi Arabia’s growing appeal among Chinese travellers as the Kingdom accelerates its Vision 2030 tourism ambitions
WTM Spotlight Riyadh is targeting China as one of its top source markets, supported by expanded air connectivity, Approved Destination Status, and tailored “China-ready” initiatives
The event will bring together global travel leaders to explore opportunities across the Kingdom’s fast-growing inbound and outbound tourism sectors from 8 – 10 September at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center (RFECC)
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, July 2026: Saudi Arabia is rapidly strengthening its position as a leading destination for Chinese travellers, as new research from Dragon Trail International, a research partner of WTM Spotlight Riyadh, highlights the Kingdom’s growing appeal among one of the world’s most influential outbound tourism markets.
The findings, revealed in Dragon Trail International’s Chinese Tourism to the Middle East and North Africa 2025 White Paper, will help shape discussions at the inaugural WTM Spotlight Riyadh, to be held at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center (RFECC) from 8 to 10 September 2026. The event will connect international travel leaders, tourism boards, hospitality providers, airlines, travel technology companies, and buyers to explore the future of Saudi Arabia’s rapidly evolving tourism economy.
Dragon Trail’s research highlights Saudi Arabia as one of the region’s fastest-emerging destinations for Chinese outbound travel, supported by the Kingdom receiving Approved Destination Status (ADS) from the Chinese government in July 2024. The designation allows Saudi Arabia to officially welcome Chinese tour groups and actively market group travel within China, marking a significant milestone in the Kingdom’s tourism development strategy.
As part of its Vision 2030 ambitions, Saudi Arabia is targeting 150 million annual visitors by the end of the decade, positioning tourism as a major contributor to national GDP. To support this growth, the Kingdom has accelerated efforts to become increasingly “China-ready”, introducing Mandarin-language airport signage, tailored tourism products, enhanced payment systems, and expanded direct flight connections since 2023.
The white paper also notes that Saudi Arabia is increasingly benefiting from stronger connectivity and growing demand for new cultural and experiential destinations among Chinese travellers. The report identifies the Kingdom as one of the most dynamic tourism growth markets in the wider MENA region, driven by strong bilateral relations, infrastructure investment, and destination development.
Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director – UAE, RX, said: “China represents one of the most influential outbound tourism markets globally, and Saudi Arabia is rapidly establishing itself as a destination of growing importance for Chinese travellers. As the Kingdom continues to invest in connectivity, visitor experiences, hospitality, and cultural infrastructure under Vision 2030, we are seeing increasing alignment between Saudi Arabia’s tourism ambitions and evolving Chinese traveller preferences.
“WTM Spotlight Riyadh provides an important platform for the international travel industry to understand this opportunity better, strengthen partnerships, and explore how destinations, travel providers, and hospitality brands can engage more effectively with both Saudi Arabia’s inbound growth and the wider Chinese outbound market.”
The report also outlines broader shifts shaping Chinese outbound travel, including rising demand for independent travel, immersive cultural experiences, luxury hospitality, family travel, and digitally connected visitor experiences. Chinese travellers are increasingly seeking destinations that combine authenticity, accessibility, safety, and premium service standards, areas where Saudi Arabia continues to expand its tourism offering.
WTM Spotlight Riyadh will showcase the full tourism ecosystem, from destinations and hospitality providers to transportation, travel technology, and experience-led tourism products. The inaugural edition is expected to welcome more than 300 exhibitors, over 7,000 regional and international attendees, and 150 international hosted buyers, reflecting the growing global interest in Saudi Arabia’s tourism transformation.
From an outbound perspective, increasing airlift capacity has led to a 91% increase in flights between Greater China and Saudi Arabia in 2025 compared to 2024. This includes Saudia, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, and Air China, which provide direct connections between Riyadh and Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, as well as between Beijing and Dammam, and between Haikou and Jeddah.
In addition, strong bilateral political relations and mutual cultural curiosity have created more opportunities for Chinese destinations to attract high-yield Saudi travellers seeking authentic experiences beyond traditional Western markets.
Sienna Parulis-Cook, Director of Marketing and Communications, Dragon Trail International, said: “The Middle East and North Africa region is emerging as one of the most exciting growth areas for Chinese outbound tourism, and Saudi Arabia is playing an increasingly important role within that development. Chinese travellers are looking for destinations that offer distinctive cultural experiences, robust hospitality infrastructure, and seamless accessibility, all areas in which Saudi Arabia is investing significantly.
“As a dedicated research partner for WTM Spotlight Riyadh, we look forward to sharing deeper insights into the evolving preferences, behaviours, and expectations of Chinese travellers as the Kingdom continues to expand its global tourism presence.”
Furthermore, according to the ATM Travel Trends Report 2025 by Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, leisure spend by Chinese visitors in the Middle East is expected to increase by around 130% from 2024 to 2030.
WTM Spotlight Riyadh is part of the World Travel Market portfolio and is designed as a focused B2B2C platform connecting Saudi Arabia with the global travel industry. The event will facilitate pre-arranged business meetings, curated networking opportunities, conference sessions, and market insights aligned with the Kingdom’s long-term tourism ambitions under Vision 2030.
About WTM Spotlight Riyadh:
WTM Spotlight in Saudi Arabia is the definitive launchpad for Saudi Arabia’s tourism ambitions – a platform purpose-built to connect the Kingdom’s growing tourism sector with the global travel industry. The show promotes meaningful exchange between regional stakeholders and international players. It’s where global travel brands gain direct access to one of the most promising new markets, and where Saudi Arabia showcases its destinations, vision, and investment opportunities to the world. WTM Spotlight Riyadh plays a vital role in shaping the Kingdom’s journey as a rising force in global tourism.
About RX:
RX is a global leader in events and exhibitions, leveraging industry expertise, data, and technology to build businesses for individuals, communities, and organisations. With a presence in 25 countries across 42 industry sectors, RX hosts approximately 350 events annually. RX is committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all our people. RX empowers businesses to thrive by leveraging data-driven insights and digital solutions. RX is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.
About RELX:
RELX is a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. RELX serves customers in more than 180 countries and has offices in about 40 countries. It employs more than 36,000 people, over 40% of whom are in North America. The shares of RELX PLC, the parent company, are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York stock exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX. *Note: Current market capitalisation can be found at http://www.relx.com/investors
World Travel Market WTM portfolio comprises leading travel events and online portals across four continents.
The events are:
WTM Spotlight India is a refined, high-impact platform that brings the legacy of the globally renowned WTM portfolio to India – anchored by WTM London and spanning leading travel trade events including Arabian Travel Market, WTM Latin America, WTM Africa, and WTM Spotlight Riyadh.
Building on this heritage of excellence, innovation, and high-value connections, WTM Spotlight India will debut at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi, from 2–4 March, 2027. Designed as a curated, business-first experience, it offers a premium platform for India’s travel and tourism stakeholders to engage with global opportunities, foster strategic partnerships, and unlock growth in one of the world’s most dynamic travel markets.
Arabian Travel Market ATM, now in its 33rd year, is held annually in Dubai – the gateway to global travel and tourism with unmatched connectivity – and is where the energy of opportunity comes to life.
More than just an event, ATM is a dynamic hub for industry communities, with forums, experiences, and networking that continue well beyond the show floor over the week. Now in a period of rapid expansion, ATM has grown by 16% year-on-year, attracting over 55,000 travel professionals from 166 countries.
WTM London is the world’s most influential travel & tourism event for the global travel community. The show is the ultimate destination for those seeking a macro view of the travel industry and a deeper understanding of the forces shaping it. WTM London is where influential travel leaders, buyers and high-profile travel companies gather to exchange ideas, drive innovation, and accelerate business outcomes.
WTM Latin America takes place annually in the city of São Paulo and attracts around 20,000 tourism professionals during the three-day event. The event offers qualified content together with networking and business opportunities. In this its ninth edition – there have been eight face-to-face events along with a 100% virtual one, which was held in 2021 – WTM Latin America continued to focus on effective business generation, and achieved the advance booking of six thousand meetings that were held between buyers, travel agents and exhibitors in 2022.
WTM Africa launched in 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa. In 2022, WTM Africa facilitated more than 7,000 unique pre-scheduled appointments, an increase of more than 7% compared to 2019, and welcomed more than 6,000 visitors (unaudited), the same number as in 2019.
About ATW Connect: Africa Travel Week’s digital arm is a virtual hub packed to the seams with interesting content, industry news and insights, and the opportunity to hear from experts on a variety of topics in our new monthly webinar series. All with the aim of keeping all of us in the travel and tourism industry connected. ATW Connect focuses on inbound and outbound markets for general leisure tourism, luxury travel and the MICE/business travel sector as well as travel technology.
WTM Global Hub is the WTM Portfolio online portal created to connect and support travel industry professionals around the world. The resource hub offers the latest guidance and knowledge to help exhibitors, buyers and others in the travel industry face the challenges of the global coronavirus pandemic. WTM Portfolio is tapping into its global network of experts to create content for the hub.https://hub.wtm.com/
