The latest findings show that Chinese outbound travel remains robust. 77 percent of surveyed travel agents reported higher demand for outbound travel during the first half of this year compared with the previous year, while 70 percent said demand for outbound summer travel had increased year-on-year. Official data from China's National Immigration Administration also showed that border crossings by mainland Chinese citizens increased by 10.7 percent in the first half of the current year, underscoring the continued strength of outbound demand.
While the geopolitical situation in the Middle East temporarily affected demand for travel to the region, official Chinese government travel advisories covering GCC countries have now been lifted. Dragon Trail International expects recovery to take time as Chinese travellers remain highly sensitive to safety considerations, with market momentum anticipated to strengthen into 2027, provided regional stability continues.
New research conducted specifically for ATM 2026 identifies luxury travel as the segment most likely to return first to MENA destinations, with 42 percent of Chinese travel agents identifying high-net-worth travellers as offering the strongest recovery potential. Respondents also highlighted strong opportunities across the fully independent travel (FIT) market (40 percent), group travel (38 percent) and younger travellers (38 percent).
The research also points to changing booking behaviour among Chinese travellers, with shorter booking windows and increased demand for single-destination itineraries. Among MENA destinations, Chinese travel agents identified Türkiye as having the strongest growth potential following the introduction of visa-free travel for Chinese visitors, while Saudi Arabia and the UAE continue to be viewed as offering strong long-term opportunities, particularly within the luxury travel segment.
Parulis-Cook will present exclusive new research during ATM 2026, providing fresh insights into the destinations attracting the greatest interest from Chinese consumers, the channels that most effectively influence travel decisions and the experiences travellers are seeking across the MENA region. The findings are expected to help destinations and tourism businesses refine their engagement strategies as competition for Chinese outbound visitors intensifies.
