Sharjah attracts more Chinese family holidaymakers with its special experience

Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) kicked off its roadshow in Beijing on 11, September. The delegation, led by its Chairman – Mr. H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa and Marketing Manager of SCTDA in Asia – Ms. Amber Gao, met hundreds of participants from Chinese outbound tourism industry, and discussed the cooperation possibility with them.

 

“Sharjah is a new destination for most of the Chinese,” Ms. Amber Gao said, “We are here to promote Sharjah as a destination for family holidaymakers, and offer a special option for them, such as Al Montazah, Al Majaz, Al Noor Island, and Sharjah Aquarium. In addition, We have the most authentic Arabian culture, and we have parks, shopping malls, luxury resorts, as other UAE countries do. All of these tourism resources will make a special holiday experience for Chinese.” 

 

The roadshow was highly supported by Chinese tourism industry, and most participants gave a positive response to both the resources and the event. They said the resources in Sharjah was unique, and if they were added to the itinerary, the tour products would be very special and competitive.

 

SCTDA is now sparing no effort in promoting the emirate as a year-round destination. It is seeing China as its fastest-growing source market; the number of Chinese visitors to Sharjah increased by a 26.8% in the first half of 2017,when compared with the same period in 2016. Sharjah tourism eyes 200,000 Chinese visitors by 2020. Mr. H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa concluded: “We are trying our best to meet our 2020 targets. The opening of a new office in Beijing reaffirms our commitment to ensuring the numbers from this market continue with steady growth.”

 

In fact, SCTDA not only sets its office in Beijing, but also launches its social media platforms, including Weibo and WeChat, with the assistance of China Business Network, who are responsible for SCTDA daily operation in China. What’s more, SCTDA regularly hosts Chinese travel industry and tourism media representatives on familiarisation trips to Sharjah, which provide a perfect opportunity to highlight the emirates offerings and future tourism development plans, as well as to explore different methods of cooperation to attract more Chinese visitors to the region.