The Saudi Tourism Authority created a “Saudi Village” at the base of Shanghai's Oriental Pearl Tower from November 8 to 15, launching an immersive cultural experience to extend a warm invitation to Chinese tourists: “Welcome to Arabia.” Multiple travel agencies simultaneously rolled out exclusive Saudi travel promotions, strategically positioning themselves ahead of the 2026 Spring Festival period—which coincides with Saudi Arabia's Ramadan—to capture market opportunities.
Centered on the theme “Experience Authentic Saudi Arabia, Discover Cultural Fusion,” the over 1,000-square-meter “Saudi Village” featured seven themed exhibition zones showcasing iconic destinations including Riyadh, the Red Sea, AlUla, Jeddah, and Dammam. Through music, dance, cuisine, and interactive experiences, it offered Chinese visitors a cultural journey to immerse themselves in Saudi Arabia's charm without leaving China.
As the 2026 Chinese New Year coincides with Saudi Arabia's Ramadan, travelers can expect attractive pricing to deeply explore the kingdom's rich cultural and natural landscapes. At the event, travel agencies including Tuniu, Tongcheng, Jinjiang, Huacheng, Eight Continents Travel, and Meituan rolled out promotional packages. Luxury hotels such as InterContinental Red Sea, Banyan Tree AlUla, and Mandarin Oriental Riyadh offered incentives like “stay three nights, pay for two” and “second room at half price” to boost winter and Spring Festival travel demand.
2025 marks the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Saudi Arabia, as well as the inaugural “China-Saudi Arabia Cultural Year.” The Saudi Tourism Authority aims to further attract Chinese tourists through such initiatives. Currently, Saudi Arabia has partnered with over 30 local tour operators to provide Chinese-language services and customized itineraries, and has launched an official WeChat mini-program to better meet the needs of Chinese visitors.
Starting October 2025, round-trip flights between China and Saudi Arabia will increase to 40 weekly services, covering six major cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Haikou, and Hong Kong. Chinese citizens can apply for an e-visa or obtain a visa on arrival in Saudi Arabia, with e-visa approvals taking only about 3 minutes. Additionally, the acceptance of UnionPay cards in Saudi Arabia continues to expand, with six major institutions now integrated, covering over 100,000 merchants and ATM terminals.
Multiple Shanghai-based travel agencies report that while Saudi Arabia was previously often combined with neighboring destinations like Egypt, the UAE, and Turkey in multi-country tours, the kingdom's growing tourism profile is now fueling the rise of “single-destination in-depth tours.” Many family travelers are opting for 9- to 15-day itineraries to explore Saudi Arabia thoroughly. It is anticipated that more travel agencies will flexibly design itineraries in the future, integrating local events such as the Esports World Cup, Formula 1 Grand Prix, Jeddah Festival, and MDLBeast Music Festival to develop more distinctive themed tourism products.
Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Congxiao
Editor Ⅱ: Bao Gang
Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong
