- Saudi Travel Festival held in Beijing to showcase mesmerizing Saudi Arabia, attract Chinese tourists.
- Connectivity between Beijing and Riyadh bolsters tourism potential
- Saudi Tourism Authority launches WeChat, mini program, offering personalized travel assistance in Mandarin.
- Saudi Tourism Authority signs a cooperation with UnionPay to ensure seamless payment solutions for Chinese visitors
- Cathay Pacific route from Hong Kong to Riyadh is set for launch on October 28, 2024
By: Muhammad Arif, Editor NSN.Asia
Beijing; The Saudi Tourism Authority organized the Saudi Travel Festival in Chinese capital, Beijing, to showcase the mesmerizing and alluring destinations, the welcoming hospitality that Saudi Arabia has to offer for Chinese tourists.
The kingdom’s premier Travel Festival in Beijing the aimed; to attract three to four million Chinese tourists; to boost people to people connectivity between Beijing and Riyad; to promote Saudi Arabia as a leading destination for leisure and business in Chinese Market.
The Chinese tourism market has shown remarkable growth, with tourist arrivals to Saudi increasing by 43 per cent in 2023 compared to the previous year.
The Saudi Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, officially launched the festival, offering an immersive experience for Chinese travelers. The joyful event featured interactive cultural booths, live performances and exclusive travel promotions for the winter holidays.
Visitors were invited to explore life-like backdrops of iconic Saudi landmarks, such as Diriyah, AlUla and Al Baha, through interactive booths. The Chinese also witnessed live demonstrations of sadu weaving, an ancient Saudi art form, and enjoy traditional Saudi music and dance performances.
“We are thrilled to share the best of Saudi tourism and culture with the Chinese people,” said Al-Khateeb. “This festival demonstrates our commitment to creating tailored experiences that position Saudi Arabia as a premier holiday destination for Chinese travelers.”
The Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) emphasized its dedication to making Saudi Arabia a welcoming and accessible destination for Chinese tourists.
Speaking at the festival, Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the STA, highlighted the growth in the number of Chinese travelers visiting Saudi Arabia between 2023 and 2024, which has more than doubled.
“We are continuously enhancing our offerings to be ‘China-friendly’ by prioritizing safety, sustainability and immersive cultural experiences,” he said.
As part of the initiative to make Saudi Arabia more accessible to Chinese travelers, a dedicated WeChat mini program was launched, offering personalized travel assistance in Mandarin.
Additionally, a collaboration with UnionPay ensures seamless payment solutions for visitors from China.
Saudi Arabia has also streamlined its visa process with a convenient e-visa system.
In the past few years, connectivity between the two countries has been significantly bolstered. Direct flights connect four major Chinese cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen) to Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam through prominent airlines like Saudia, Air China, China Eastern and China Southern.
A new Cathay Pacific route from Hong Kong to Riyadh is set for launch on October 28, 2028.
A record 60 million tourists arrived in Saudi Arabia during the first half of 2024, adding a total of SR143 billion ($38.1 billion) to the national revenue of the Kingdom.
Besides the festival in Beijing, Minister of Tourism, Mr. Ahmed Al-Khatib held a meeting with the Chinese Tourism Chamber to strengthen bilateral relations in the tourism sector.
Minister also met with a number of investors in the friendly People’s Republic of China to discuss the investment opportunities available in the kingdom.
HE Ahmed Al Khateeb met with the China Chamber of Tourism to promote cooperation and strengthen bilateral relations in the tourism sector. He also discussed investment opportunities in the Kingdom’s tourism industry with Chinese investors.
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