Research conducted by Oxford Economics predicts that outbound travel from China will nearly double this year, compared to 2023, and will only be 22% below its pre-pandemic peak of 155 million tourists in 2019.

These tourists spent over $250 billion overseas. Full recovery of Chinese tourism is expected to happen in 2025, with the MENA being the first region globally to recover its Chinese inbound market.

Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024, which will be held from 6-9 May at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), is expected to welcome twice the number of Chinese exhibitors and travel professionals compared to its 2019 show, underscoring the prediction of the MENA becoming the first region to recover its Chinese inbound market.

China lifted its COVID-related travel restrictions on January 8, 2023, allowing Chinese tourists to travel abroad without having to quarantine upon their return.

Bookings for overseas travel during the Chinese New Year reportedly soared by 540% compared to the same period in 2022, according to data from the Chinese travel site Trip.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, commented, “Last year, some analysts were predicting that the Chinese outbound market would recover to around six million per month by the summer of 2023, driven in part by the pent-up demand especially from young, affluent Chinese.

However, that rebound wasn’t as great as many tourism professionals had hoped for, and now analysts are confident that this year we could see Chinese visitor numbers double year-on-year, with major destinations in the Middle East recovering quicker than any other internationally, especially for luxury travel.”

Curtis added, “That sentiment has also been borne out by the latest spending data for the 2024 Chinese New Year. According to Chinese payment platform Alipay, the number of Chinese overseas transactions was 7% higher than those recorded in 2019.

The most popular MENA destinations include Dubai, Saudi’s AlUla, Egypt, and Jordan – Dubai alone welcomed more than one million Chinese visitors in 2019.”

Chinese participation at ATM 2024 is expected to more than double compared to ATM 2019, with new exhibitors that include private sector companies such as Heytrip International, Jiangsu Intelligence Equipment Co, Flightroutes24 Travel Company Ltd, Feeyo Technology, and anticipated destination representation from Macao Government Tourism Office, China Cultural Centre in the UAE, and the Hongkong Tourism Board.

ATM is also organising a dedicated conference session on this key market in its Global Stage, entitled ‘Capitalising on China’s Predicted Tourism Surge’, in association with Huawei.

This session, which takes place on Monday 6th May from 15:10 to 15:50, will explore the changing trends, cultural preferences, and the role of mobile marketing and tourism predictions in the Chinese tourism market.

In line with this year’s show theme ‘Empowering Innovation: Transforming Travel Through Entrepreneurship’, other highlights at the 31st edition of ATM include entrepreneurship-focused sessions as well as dedicated sessions for other key source markets such as India and the Americas.

As well as showcasing a range of event features based around the theme, informative content will be delivered across the Global Stage and the new Future Stage at ATM 2024, led by respected industry keynote speakers and thought leaders.

Held in conjunction with Dubai World Trade Centre, ATM 2024’s strategic partners include the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Destination Partner; Emirates, Official Airline Partner; IHG Hotels & Resorts, Official Hotel Partner, and Al Rais Travel, Official DMC Partner.

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Dubai Municipality has launched a new project as part of its efforts to enhance the city’s greenery. The project is focused on the intersection of Al Meydan and Al Khail Streets, which is at the center of Dubai. 

Covering an area of 302,266 square meters, this project demonstrates the Municipality’s commitment to expanding green spaces in the city and implementing beautification projects that improve its overall appearance.  

The project features advanced technologies employed by the Municipality to implement sustainable irrigation systems and water drainage. 

These systems include fully automated irrigation mechanisms that eliminate the need for human intervention. Furthermore, wind-resistant spraying techniques have been integrated, resulting in a water-saving of around 30%. 

The Municipality has implemented effective sustainable groundwater and rainwater drainage systems, especially during the recent rainfall. 

They have established a pumping station that can handle over 280 cubic meters per hour and a tank with a capacity of 1,000 cubic meters. To enhance the area’s beauty, the Municipality has installed multi-color linear lighting systems at the intersection.  

According to H.E. Al Hajri, the Municipality prioritizes the development of agricultural beautification projects. Their primary goal is to improve the vitality of Dubai with integrated world-class standards. They aim to foster sustainability in Dubai by implementing innovative irrigation technologies that rely on fully recycled water.  

Furthermore, the Municipality will plant ‘Chorisia’ trees (Chorisia Speciosa) at the intersection of Al Meydan and Al Khail Roads for the first time. This tree, which belongs to the mallow family, has a broad, swollen stem that serves as a water reservoir. It also has large pink-red flowers.  

Dubai Municipality carries out agricultural beautification projects that adhere to the highest global standards. These efforts integrate innovative design elements. employ cutting-edge irrigation techniques utilizing recycled water. The goal is to promote the sustainability of environmental resources. 

In 2023, the Municipality of Dubai successfully planted over 185,000 trees, achieving the objectives of the Green Dubai initiative. This accomplishment led to the addition of 234 hectares of green area in the city. 

It demonstrates Dubai Municipality’s commitment to afforestation, highlighting their dedication to expanding vegetation and improving the per capita allocation of green spaces. 

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Ever since the discovery of oil, in 1966 the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum began the development of the Emirate of Dubai.

Dubai gained its independence in 1971, forming the United Arab Emirates with Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah and adopting the Dirham as its currency two years later.

In 2001, the construction of the palm Jumeirah began, which is a cluster of artificial islands on the Persian Gulf’s shore in the UAE.

The islands have an estimated population of 10,000 as of 2017 and extend Dubai’s total shoreline by 520 km.

To diversify the economy away from Oil exportation, the Downtown Dubai project started, which is a large-scale complex in the heart of Dubai, with Burj Khalifa in the center of it.

The Downtown covered an area of 2 square kilometers with an estimated cost of $20 billion, the complete project was completed in 2017 and had a population of 13,201.

In 2004 the construction of the world’s tallest skyscraper, Burj Khalifa started, with a total height of 828 meters.

Dubai Metro opened in 2009, spanning nearly 90km, it’s a fully automated transportation system around the city.

The metro has two main lines spanning the seven zones across the city which are:

• Green
• Red

The tower was completed in 2010 with the exterior being finished in 2009, it claimed the title of the world’s tallest structure away from the previous title holder, Taipei 101.

In 2021 the UAE geared up to celebrate the 5^th year of the Union and hosted Expo from October 1^st 2021 to March 31^st 2022.

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Orfali Bros has taken the number one spot for the best restaurant in the Middle East for the second year in a row, it has also received the ranking of 46^th for the best restaurant globally.

Furthermore the restaurant has also received the What’s-On award of Homegrown Restaurant of The Year in 2022.

Located in Jumeirah 1, Dubai, which is a popular seaside location with a variety of options.

Dubai dominates the top 5 restaurants in the Middle East rankings, a ranking system made by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna.

The restaurant was opened by 3 brothers who originated from Aleppo, Syria, Mohammad, Wassim and Omar.

The Restaurant was opened in 2021.

The oldest brother, Mohammad is the head chef, who was also a TV cook and restaurant chef.

The two younger brothers Wassim and Omar focus more on pastries, specifically French ones.

The restaurant mixes traditional Syrian food with global flavors to create new outcomes.

Orfali Bros Service:

Orfali Bros serves Lunch and Dinner from Monday to Sunday from 12-11:30 PM, with Saturdays being off.

The expected cost per person up to USD50 with the cheapest item on their menu being OB croquettes priced at USD5.72.

They offer a variety of menu items including for one, cold, hot, pide and deserts.

The cheapest Hot item on the menu is Adobo chicken wings priced at USD9.

The most expensive hot item is Halloub, which are braised short ribs, the dish is priced at USD36.7.

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Dubai has introduced a new VIP ticket package for visitors of Frame Dubai, one of the most famous architectural sites in the Emirates. The package, called AED 300, offers several benefits such as a unique tour of Frame Dubai.

Ahmed Al Zarouni, the Director of the Department of Public Parks and Recreational Facilities, has announced the launch of a new VIP ticket package. The purpose of this package is to offer an enjoyable and fully integrated experience to both residents and tourists.

The initiative is in line with the Municipality’s efforts to provide attractive amenities and services that enhance the recreational experience of visitors and residents alike. The goal of this mission is to improve the quality of life for all and further improve the Emirate’s appeal as a recreational hub.

He also stated that these VIP tickets will allow the visitors specific benefits including reserved parking entry through private gates and guided tours covering important details about the frame and the area that contains it.

Frame Dubai, which was opened in January 2018, has become a popular tourist attraction, with over 5.5 million visitors so far.

The landmark is in Za’abeel and serves as a bridge between the present and the rich history of the Emirate. The dimensions of the Frame Dubai were inspired by the golden ratio of 1.618, and it measures 150 meters in height and 93 meters in width.

The construction of the building required over 9,900 cubic meters of reinforced cement, approximately 2,000 tons of steel, and 2,900 square meters of laminated glass panels. The structure also includes circuits that have been modeled after the Expo 2020 logo, covering an area of more than 15,000 square meters of stainless-steel paper gold cladding.

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