UAE Travel Demand to China Surges Amid Visa-Free Entry and Lower Fares

China advanced seven places among Middle East travellers' preferred destinations following an 18% increase in flight searches. Travel platform Trip reported a 1,023.53% increase in custom tour bookings from the UAE to China, supported by visa-free access for GCC passport holders and a 44% decline in airfares to Shanghai.

Published October 17, 2026 Source: Dubai Chronicle

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China climbed seven places among Middle East travellers' favourite destinations following an 18% rise in search volumes, according to travel industry data published by Dubai Chronicle. The trend follows the implementation of visa-free entry for all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) passport holders.

Booking data from travel platform Trip showed custom tour bookings from the United Arab Emirates to China surged by 1,023.53%. Among these bookings, Beijing captured 29.27%, Shanghai accounted for 12.56%, and Chengdu represented 8.44%. Trip data also indicated that UAE searches for first and business class seats increased by 110.81% in the first half of 2026, compared to a 99% increase globally.

Flight affordability also improved on key routes, with average airfares from the UAE to Shanghai decreasing by 44% year-on-year. In broader outbound trends, Skyscanner data showed UAE searches for Van, Türkiye climbed 2,607%, while a survey of 1,000 UAE adults revealed that 92% plan to travel abroad as much or more in 2027.