Gulf tourists in Hong Kong spend more money than ever
Taste for luxury among travelers from Saudi Arabia and the UAE is creating a new corridor between the Middle and Far East
Aerial view of Hong Kong showing the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Wanchai district and Happy Valley (Photo: Getty Images)
Hong Kong is rolling out the red carpet for Saudi and Emirati travelers with a love of luxury.
Armed with data that show visitors from Saudi Arabia and the UAE are likely to spend some $1,450 a day when they visit, Hong Kong tourism officials have launched a new campaign aimed at the Gulf to promote their plush hotels, Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurants and South China Sea landscapes.
At a time that political friction weighs on Chinese ties with the U.S. and Europe, Hong Kong – classified as a Special Administrative Region of China with limited autonomy – is broadening its focus and finding a wealthy audience in the GCC region eager to explore Asia in style.
“Since 2010 we have watched the GCC market grow, especially Dubai, which is now a global capital,” Henry Wong, Director of Trade Development at Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), told The Circuit. “We believe it’s the right time to focus” on Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The new attention to the Gulf was evident at the Arabian Travel Market conference in Dubai that took place in May, where the HKTB set up its largest booth ever with representatives from more than 30 hotels, travel agencies and cultural institutions.
In October, the tourism agency will sponsor a trade mission to Riyadh and Dubai, bringing in representatives from Hong Kong hotels and other businesses for networking with the Gulf travel industry.
During the travel conference in May, Hong Kong officials signed draft agreements with the UAE government to expand tourism within the GCC market and with the dnata Travel Group to strengthen partnerships with Gulf airlines and travel agencies. The UAE also signed a preliminary agreement with the China Cultural Center to facilitate air travel to China and organize promotional trips to familiarize UAE travel agents with the world’s second most populous country.
Among the attractions being promoted this year are the Palace Museum, the West Kowloon Cultural District, M+ and the Art Basel Hong Kong art fair, Becky Ip, Deputy Executive Director of HKTB, told The Circuit
“GCC travelers used to travel more to Europe and even Thailand and Malaysia,” she said. “Now I think they are prepared to go beyond these places and see more of the east.”