From left: Rob Nicholas, Khalid Al Hadi, executive director marketing & communications, TCA Abu Dhabi; Mubarak Al Nuaimi and Alexander Glos

The Chinese Visitor Summit, aimed at giving top Chinese tourism producers specific destination networking opportunities, is to return to the UAE capital this year on September 2nd-3rd with networking and conferences hosted at the recently-opened, beachfront Ritz-Carlton Grand Canal, Abu Dhabi.

Organised by Nicholas Publishing International in partnership with the Shanghai-based i2i Group and backed by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, this year’s event will bring 75 top Chinese outbound tourism bookers to the UAE capital in a bid to increase the emirate’s Chinese visitor numbers to participating destinations, attractions and hotels.

The Chinese delegation, which will also comprise ten leading Chinese media, will include chief executives, general, product, outbound and MICE managers, sports events producers from wholesale, retail, leisure, golf, adventure and FIT operators.

“The summit is dedicated to building inbound Chinese visitor numbers by matching buyers to over 100 travel providers from throughout the UAE and Middle East including hoteliers, attractions and retailers keen to tap into this lucrative Asian market,” said Rob Nicholas, managing director, NPI.

“The market is wide open with the UAE currently representing less than ten per cent - or 31,980 travellers - of the delegation’s accumulative outbound business.

“And with more than half of the delegation having less than three years’ experience working with UAE suppliers, their appetite for new product is extremely keen.”

A snap survey of the summit’s Chinese delegates has revealed specific MICE opportunities with bookers looking for existing opportunities with clients from the Chinese government, industry association, education, pharmaceuticals and medical, oil and gas, retail, construction, real estate, automotive,  as well as insurance, finance and corporate segments.

“What stands out in particular is that they are now focusing on suppliers of MICE, high-end travel and custom-designed products within the UAE market,” added Nicholas.

“While on the leisure side, the preference is for multi-experience packages combining two destinations or more such as Abu Dhabi and Ireland.”

Last year’s summit proved extremely successful for Abu Dhabi with 76 Chinese travel agents and tour operators, ten Chinese media and several Chinese government travel dignitaries receiving their first exposure to our destination.

“Summit partners and suppliers went above and beyond to impress the Chinese delegation.

“We are looking to build on this momentum and to particularly highlight our expanding tourism proposition which has been boosted over the past 12 months with new resort and attraction openings and tour product enhancements,” said Mubarak Al Nuaimi, director promotions & overseas offices, TCA Abu Dhabi, which operates a visitor and destination promotion centre in Beijing.

“What is clear though is that local suppliers will have to begin creating tailor-made product if they are to maximise penetration of this market with delegate members requesting specific high-end product such as Gulf luxury desert driving tours.

“The local suppliers joining us at the summit will be naturally out to sell product, but also to learn more about what is specifically required by the Chinese buyers and their customers.

“TCA Abu Dhabi now offers all its destination collateral and websites in Mandarin to be a source of information for the Chinese travel and travel trade and would actively encourage suppliers to follow suit.”