The Middle East saw a sharp increase in Chinese travellers during Golden Week. Golden Week is one of China’s most significant travel periods, combining National Day on 1 October with the Mid-Autumn Festival. During this year’s extended travel week, which ran from 1 October to 8 October. Chinese travel reservations to Doha surged by 441% year-over-year, and bookings to Abu Dhabi grew 229% according to Trip.com. At the same time, Dubai became one of the top 10 destinations outside Asia with a 27% increase, according to the travel data analytics firm ForwardKeys. The Emirates, which is part of the United Arab Emirates, also became a top choice for affluent Chinese travellers on premium economy, business, and first class seats, with demand soaring by 133% from last year. This follows an ongoing trend of Chinese travellers visiting the Middle East, with flights from China to the region growing 25% so far this year from the same period in 2024, Trip.com Singapore general manager Edmund Ong told CNBC. This also marks a stark difference from the same period in 2019, with current levels rising by 180% from pre-pandemic levels. The five fastest-growing overseas destinations for hotel bookings during the Golden Week were