Chinese travellers are still booking outbound trips in growing numbers, and the MENA travel industry is watching closely for signs that Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other regional destinations can share in that recovery.
Geopolitical events have weighed on travel to the Middle East in recent months, but new research points to underlying resilience in Chinese outbound demand that could benefit the region as confidence returns.
Chinese demand holds steady
Dragon Trail International, an official research partner of Arabian Travel Market, found that 77% of surveyed travel agents reported higher demand for outbound travel in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period the previous year. Seventy percent said demand for outbound summer travel had also increased year-on-year.
That pattern is backed by government data. China's National Immigration Administration recorded a 10.7% rise in border crossings by mainland Chinese citizens in the first half of 2026. Official Chinese government travel advisories covering GCC countries have also been lifted, removing a barrier that had discouraged travel to the region.
"China remains one of the world's most influential outbound tourism markets, and while recent geopolitical developments have temporarily affected travel demand to the Middle East, the long-term opportunity remains significant," said Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director – UAE at RX Global.
Luxury travel leads the way back
Dragon Trail's research identifies luxury travel as the segment most likely to return first to MENA destinations. Forty-two percent of Chinese travel agents surveyed named high-net-worth travellers as offering the strongest recovery potential for the region.
Within that segment, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are viewed as offering strong long-term opportunities, positioning both countries to capture spending from affluent Chinese visitors as sentiment improves.
Türkiye, meanwhile, is seen as having the strongest overall growth potential among MENA destinations, a shift linked to the introduction of visa-free travel for Chinese visitors.
"Chinese outbound tourism continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience despite a number of external challenges. While recent geopolitical developments have affected demand for travel to the Middle East, outbound travel overall continues to grow strongly, creating a significant opportunity for destinations that can rebuild traveler confidence," said Sienna Parulis-Cook, Director of Marketing and Communications at Dragon Trail International.
Looking ahead to 2027
Dragon Trail International expects the market's momentum to strengthen further into 2027, provided regional stability holds. For MENA tourism boards and operators, that timeline puts pressure on rebuilding traveller confidence sooner rather than later.
Parulis-Cook said the research was designed with that goal in mind. "Our latest research has been developed specifically to help tourism organizations across the MENA region better understand how Chinese travel preferences are evolving, enabling them to refine their marketing strategies and accelerate recovery as confidence returns," she said.