Asia-GCC Corridor Booms as Visa-Free Travel and Links Improve

Industry leaders at Arabian Travel Market 2026 in Dubai highlighted the Asia-GCC corridor as a key growth driver for the Middle East's travel industry. The panel discussed how visa-free entry, smoother journeys, and improved links have contributed to this trend.

Aaron Goldring, Senior Economist at Oxford Economics, noted that 2025 saw unprecedented figures for arrivals into the GCC from Asia-Pacific, with close to 165 million overnight guests. This marked an increase of over 160 percent within only six years.

Shahab Abdollah Shayan, Regional Director Asia Pacific at the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, emphasized the importance of visa-free entry and payment infrastructure in attracting Chinese visitors. He mentioned that the UAE eliminated the visa obstacle for Chinese travelers in 2016 and improved payment systems to make it easier for them to use their phones while traveling.

Waad Melliti from the World Tourism Cities Federation observed that China's visa reforms have had a significant impact on GCC travel. She pointed out that by 2018, China had established full visa-free access for all GCC countries, leading to a 100 percent rise in arrivals from these nations to over 150,000 in 2025.