As destinations from across the globe prepare to showcase their latest offering at ATM 2020, which is being held at Dubai World Trade Centre from April 29 - 22, Colliers International predicts China will maintain its position as a top source market across the GCC, particularly in the UAE, where Chinese visitors are currently the second and fourth highest ranked source markets for Abu Dhabi and Dubai, respectively.

Adding to this, the data predicts the UAE will continue to be the preferred GCC destination for Chinese tourists, welcoming a projected 1,9 million visitors by 2023. Saudi Arabia will follow with one million visitors, while Oman will welcome 76,900, Bahrain 26,300 and Kuwait 2,800.

Chinese tourists are the world’s highest spenders while travelling abroad, with total outbound travel and tourism expenditure reaching USD277 billion in 2018, according to the Colliers data.