Saudi Arabia Eyes Major Slice of China’s Tourism Market

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Saudi Arabia welcomed over 150,000 Chinese visitors last year, and it’s on track to boost those numbers to half a million this year with ambitious tourism and economic strategies in play. An investment of $800 billion is fueling the country’s drive to grow its global tourism appeal, with $500 billion specifically aimed at opening up the Kingdom to new markets like China.

Chinese tourist groups will also benefit from easier access to Saudi Arabia due to its newly received Approved Destination Status from China. This initiative is part of the Kingdom’s strategy to make China its third-largest source of international tourists by 2030, with a target of attracting five million Chinese visitors by then. 

Understanding the Chinese Traveler Opportunity

China is the largest source of outbound tourists globally, home to over 400 million individuals with substantial disposable income. According to Skift reporting, Chinese travelers took 155 million trips abroad in 2019, spending nearly $255 billion — 14 percent of global tourism revenue. The total number of outbound trips from China is expected to exceed 365 million by 2030.

“China has long been leading outbound tourism figures globally. They’re also known to be the biggest spenders in global tourism, making them one of the most lucrative segments to cater to,” said Muzzammil Ahussain, CEO of Almosafer, Saudi Arabia’s leading travel company.

According to Ahussain, the Chinese traveler market is particularly attractive to Saudi Arabia due to reasons such as:

• Rapidly growing middle class with high disposable income
• High frequency of travel driven by a desire for diverse experiences
• Strong cultural curiosity about global destinations
• Government policies promoting outbound tourism and easing travel processes
• Significant spending power
• Advanced digital ecosystem facilitating travel planning and exploration
• Preference for family travel with a growing trend toward Free Independent Travel (FIT), indicating a shift to personalized travel experiences
• Improved air connectivity, expanding access to international destinations

According to data by Almosafer, Chinese tourists typically travel in groups or with extended families or friends, influencing their choices in accommodations and activities. Shopping is a major focus for them — they prioritize destinations known for luxury brands, designer goods, and local specialties. Additionally, they are keenly interested in cultural and historical sites and often choose destinations rich in heritage and unique cultural experiences. Safety and comfort are paramount considerations. 

On the digital front, Chinese tourists are highly connected and frequently use mobile apps for travel planning, booking, and navigation. Platforms such as WeChat, Alipay, and other travel apps play an important role in their experiences, while social media platforms like WeChat, Weibo, and Little Red Book or Red (China’s equivalent of Instagram) heavily influence their travel decisions. Sharing travel experiences online and relying on influencer recommendations and peer reviews are also important elements of their travel behaviors.

While open to new culinary experiences, Chinese tourists often look for familiar dining options, and language accessibility is important — many prefer destinations offering Mandarin-speaking services or signage. 

“We are developing a deep understanding of the Chinese tourism sector through collaboration with our local partners in China, and our studies of Chinese tourists have provided us with the necessary data to ensure we can tailor our services to their preferences, including dining interests, shopping habits, and accommodation preferences,” said Ahussain.

Making Saudi Arabia “China-Ready”

Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited Saudi Arabia in September of this year to strengthen the relationship between the two countries. A key announcement from this meeting was the China-Saudi Arabia Year of Culture 2025, an initiative designed to deepen their cultural ties. As part of the initiative, Saudi Arabia introduced visa facilitation, reduced fees, improved flight capacity by over 130 percent, and improved visitor services with Mandarin-language information, Mandarin signage at airports, and Mandarin-speaking staff.

To prepare for the expected influx, Almosafer has initiated comprehensive cultural training for its staff to improve their familiarity with Chinese customs, expectations, and habits. This includes training to help overcome barriers and in-depth insights into Chinese cultural practices, such as dining preferences, shopping habits, and the importance of familial ties to make its services respectful and accommodating. With a representative office in China, Almosafer has begun to improve brand recognition and introduce its services directly to Chinese travelers through its Destination Management Company Discover Saudi.

“We are recruiting Chinese-speaking support staff familiar with Chinese customs to provide a smooth guest experience. Our in-house training program, Almosafer Academy, will ensure our team is highly skilled by developing specialized training programs for on-ground staff. Our destination management company, Discover Saudi, creates personalized itineraries and curated experiences that highlight the best of Saudi Arabia, specifically for Chinese tourists. The largest share of the anticipated five million Chinese tourists will do so through Discover Saudi,” said Ahussain.

Strengthening Partnerships for Targeted Growth

Almosafer is expanding its influence through strategic partnerships in China to improve the Kingdom’s appeal as a global travel destination. One of these partnerships is with the Trip.com Group, a leading Chinese travel services platform, to improve hotel and flight packages and expand corporate and business travel services by utilizing Almosafer’s regional expertise and Trip.com’s advanced travel technology.

“We’ve seen double-digit growth in flight bookings to the Middle East across our platforms from January to July 2024,” said Boon Sian Chai, managing director and vice president of international markets at Trip.com Group. “Our partnership with Almosafer enables seamless access to the region’s unique offerings. Together with Almosafer, we aim to enhance these experiences and keep the Middle East at the forefront of global travel trends.”

Almosafer has also partnered with Klook, an Asian tours and activities marketplace, to launch the country’s first holistic tours and activities platform, Almosafer Activities, as a joint venture. Leveraging Klook’s reach in Asia to distribute travel experiences and increase exposure for small and medium-sized Saudi merchants, activities are made available to the Chinese market through Klook‘s consumer portal, which allows Almosafer to capture demand and learn about preferred in-destination experiences.

“Our partnership with Almosafer plays a vital role in elevating Saudi Arabia’s tourism and experiences sector,” said Chuan Sheng (C.S.) Soong, vice president of corporate development at Klook. â€œWith Almosafer’s deep-rooted expertise in the region and Klook’s tech and innovative platform, we’re delivering a seamless, digital-first ecosystem that unlocks the Kingdom’s rich cultural offerings.” 

Almosafer’s efforts align with the ambitious goals outlined in the Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the economy and position the kingdom as a cultural and economic powerhouse.

“Our comprehensive approach to tourism, which includes deepening our partnerships and expanding our technological footprint, is setting the stage for Saudi Arabia to meet its targets of Vision 2030. We’re creating experiences that inspire visitors to return and solidifying Saudi Arabia’s status as a top destination on the world stage,” Ahussain said.

For more information about Almosafer, click here.

This content was created collaboratively by Almosafer and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX.