Saudi Arabia launches its biggest travel campaign in China. Will Chinese tourists bite?

What Happened: On November 17, the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) landed in Shanghai to launch its biggest integrated travel campaign in China. Over 13,000 visitors flocked to the Bund to participate in the Saudi Souk Festival, a celebration of Saudi Arabia’s culture, heritage, and natural beauty, and enjoy live performances along the waterfront.

As part of the campaign, STA released a series of Saudi experience films on national TV and major tech platforms in China, such as Ctrip, Mafengwo, and Tencent, reaching hundreds of millions of viewers at home. The films give Chinese travelers a taste of what they can experience in Saudi Arabia, such as stargazing, snorkeling in the Red Sea, and riding in a hot-air balloon.

The STA also unveiled a series of how-to videos on its VisitSaudi.cn website to help Chinese audiences navigate Saudi Arabia with confidence, from wearing traditional attire to connecting to the internet at the airport.

“We are delighted to share the wonders of Saudi with our Chinese friends,” said Alhasan Aldabbagh, President of APAC Markets at the Saudi Tourism Authority. “We hope that this campaign will inspire them to discover our country … as well as foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of the similarities between our two cultures, and strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our two nations.”

The Jing Take: Indeed, there is a lot of synergy between China and Saudi Arabia. Building upon the Belt and Road Initiative, the two countries have been working to enhance connectivity through infrastructure development, commerce, and cultural exchanges. Travel plays a big role in this, with Saudi Arabia aiming to attract 3 million Chinese tourists annually by 2030 and generate $46 billion in tourism revenue in total.

So far, the kingdom has made steady progress toward this goal. In addition to achieving approved destination status (ADS) in September 2023, enabling Chinese citizens to enter the country through group tours, Saudi Arabia has rolled out key initiatives to facilitate movement: simplifying the visa process, offering integrated Chinese payment solutions, and launching more daily flights.