Asian source markets are poised to reshape the Middle East's visitor mix over the next five years, according to the ATM Travel Trends Report 2026 published by ICCA in association with Tourism Economics. The trend is expected to be led by China's post-pandemic rebound alongside outbound expansion from India and Southeast Asia.
Chinese leisure nights in the Middle East are projected to surge by 160% between 2025 and 2030, marking the strongest uplift among the markets analyzed. China's share of inter-regional leisure travel to the region is expected to rise by 1.2 percentage points to 2.5%, while the Middle East's share of all Chinese outbound leisure nights is forecast to climb from 2.7% to 3.3%.
In addition to trip volume, Chinese visitors exhibit strong spending power, paying more than twice as much per night as the typical visitor to the Middle East. On the corporate front, China is projected to generate the fastest business travel growth among major source markets, with visits increasing by 99%.
Globally, China's outbound leisure nights are forecast to increase by 111% through 2030, supported by the projected addition of more than 20 million households able to afford international travel over the next decade. In parallel, GCC international arrivals are projected to expand at an annual rate of 10.2% between 2025 and 2030.
Sources
- Meetings & Conventions Asia · 2026-10-23
