Dubai takes measures to lure more Chinese tourists

On Tuesday, Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing announced that it had signed a strategic partnership with UnionPay and the online travel agency Tuniu in Shanghai. This move indicates that that Dubai seeks to attract more Chinese tourists by cooperating with Chinese companies.

The cooperation would aim at launching collaborative marketing initiatives, thus introducing Chinese tourists to the diverse tourist attractions in Dubai. With the cooperation with Tuniu, it is possible for Chinese tourists to plan the trip to Dubai more easily. As Dubai is still not well known to Chinese travelers, the cooperation with a professional agency in China may strongly motivate Chinese tourists to visit Dubai.

In 2015, around 450,000 Chinese tourists visited Dubai, which made China one of the most important tourist sources for Dubai. Furthermore, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Dubai was also quickly increasing. Many of them were attracted by the Arab culture of the city, which gives them another cultural experience than Asian and European countries.

On the other hand, Dubai is also capable of providing its visitors with satisfactory experiences. As one of the most developed cities in the Middle East, Dubai has the tourism infrastructure to cater to the demands of its tourists.

With the new partnership with the UnionPay, Dubai could enhance the travel experiences of Chinese tourists. Starting from February 1^st and through the entire season of the Chinese New Year, UnionPay card holders will enjoy a 10-25% discount in 120 shopping centers, tourist attractions, hotels and Restaurants in Dubai. Meanwhile, Tuniu is now organizing new travel packages for tourists who have different demands, including offers with deluxe hotels and economic packages which still offer excellent services with reasonable prices.

As the number of Chinese outbound tourists is expected to double by 2020, Dubai and other Arabic countries may find huge opportunities if they pay more attention to this new market. For them, it is now the perfect timing as the Chinese President Xi Jinping has just visited the Middle East and the relationship between China and the Gulf Nations are going to deepen in the coming years.

Source: ShanghaiDaily

Photo: flickr