Popularity of "China Travel" trend highlighted at Arabian Travel Market in Dubai

The growing trend towards "China Travel" has emerged as one of the highlights of the ongoing Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 in Dubai of the United Arab Emirates, as China's popularity as a top global tourism destination continues to rise on the back of expanded visa-free access.

The four-day event has brought together more than 2,800 exhibitors and tourism professionals from around the world to discuss artificial intelligence (AI), emerging technologies and the future of personalized travel.

Total attendance during this 33rd edition of the fair is expected to reach 55,000, making it the largest travel focussed event of its kind in the Middle East.

The surging interest in China tourism was on full display at the country's pavilion, where a record number of 28 tourism enterprises are exhibiting this year. Representatives are holding face-to-face talks with travel companies from the Middle East and beyond, as they present a series of bespoke travel itineraries tailored specifically to cater to visitors from the Gulf region.

Fueling the demand has been China's steady expansion of visa-free access to more eligible passport holders. Since launching a trial program for six countries back in December 2023, China has extended unilateral visa-free entry to travelers from 50 countries, allowing stays of up to 30 days.

In addition, a separate transit program has been lengthened from the previous 72 or 144 hours to now 240 hours with Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam added last month, bringing the number of eligible countries for this initiative to 57.

Exhibitors and visitors alike said easier entry is quickly turning curiosity about China into concrete travel plans.

"Actually China now after removing the visa for many countries of GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), we can see a lot of demand from our countries and we look forward for the upcoming summer season to have bigger groups," said a tourism operator.

As well as this visa waiver program, interest in visiting China and in Chinese lifestyle trends has also soared online with hashtags such as "China Travel" and "Chinamaxxing" going viral on global social media platforms.

"[I am interested in] the history, of course, and the new development for a lot of things -- factories, exhibitions worldwide, really. I'd love to visit there," said another attendee at the Dubai fair.

Popularity of "China Travel" trend highlighted at Arabian Travel Market in Dubai

Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Tuesday urged the country's incumbent Takaichi administration to withdraw its erroneous remarks regarding China's Taiwan, and adhere to the one-China policy.

Hatoyama made the remarks during the ongoing 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, which runs from Tuesday to Thursday in the Chinese capital. He said Takaichi should either retract her remarks or, by some other means, communicate in "an absolutely unambiguous manner" that Japan continues to firmly respect the one-China policy.   "The Taiwan issue is an extremely sensitive issue in China-Japan relations. I believe it is important for Japan to continue respecting the agreements embodied in the 1972 Japan China Joint Communique. That is one-China policy. I can understand why China was concerned by Prime Minister Takaichi's remarks last year. In diplomacy, even a change in wording can sometimes be interpreted as a change in policy. Prime Minister Takaichi should either retract these remarks, or by some other means, communicate in an absolutely unambiguous manner that Japan continues to respect the one-China policy," said Hatoyama.

At a Diet meeting in November last year, Takaichi said the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan. She refused to retract her remark, which implies the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait.

Takaichi's provocative statements have sparked widespread outrage and condemnation across China, while China has repeatedly urged Japan to retract those remarks.

Former Japanese PM Hatoyama urges Takaichi to retract Taiwan-related remarks