Zhejiang and Dubai are at the centre of a new tourism push linking eastern China with Middle Eastern travellers. Zhejiang Province has launched a Culture and Tourism Middle East Promotion Center in Dubai, creating a platform to promote the province’s destinations, cultural experiences and wider tourism offer across the Gulf. The centre was unveiled on September 16 at an industry networking event hosted by the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism. More than 60 representatives from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern markets attended, including participants from tourism, business and education sectors. UAE News 24/7
A New Gateway for Zhejiang Tourism
Visitors can also pair urban sightseeing with tea plantations, canal towns and mountain areas, creating itineraries that move between historic neighbourhoods, countryside landscapes and modern city districts without changing their base too frequently during a single regional holiday.
The Dubai centre is designed to strengthen tourism exchanges and expand cooperation between Zhejiang and the UAE and wider Middle East. It gives Zhejiang tourism organisations a local platform for meeting travel companies, promoting itineraries and presenting attractions to an audience based in a major international aviation and business hub. Khaleej Times
Hangzhou Brings Culture and Landscape Together
Hangzhou is one of the most recognisable destinations in Zhejiang. West Lake is the city’s best-known visitor attraction, with landscaped shores, historic sites, gardens, bridges and boat experiences creating an easy base for a city itinerary.
Hangzhou’s position as a major technology and business centre also makes it relevant for visitors combining leisure with business travel. The city is connected to other parts of China by high-speed rail, making it possible to combine Hangzhou with Shanghai and other eastern Chinese destinations during a longer holiday.
Ningbo and Zhejiang’s Coastal Experiences
Ningbo adds another dimension to a Zhejiang itinerary. The historic port city has maritime heritage, cultural attractions and access to coastal landscapes. Visitors can explore Tianyi Pavilion, one of China’s best-known historic libraries, alongside museums and waterfront areas.
Further across the province, Zhejiang offers destinations such as Wuzhen and Xitang, where canals, stone bridges and traditional architecture create a different experience from the large cities. The province also includes mountainous areas and rural destinations suited to hiking, scenic drives, photography and slower-paced cultural travel.
Tourism Promotion Meets Business and Innovation
The Dubai initiative is broader than leisure tourism alone. The launch brought together representatives from tourism, business and education, reflecting the centre’s wider role in developing exchanges between Zhejiang and the Middle East. UAE News 24/7
Zhejiang is also increasing support for inbound tourism. In April 2026, the province announced 90.5 million yuan in funding for tourism consumption and higher-quality tourism development, including 20 million yuan specifically focused on expanding inbound tourism, cultural and tourism spending and the performance economy. Funding is also available for overseas promotion and inbound tourism projects. E Zhejiang
What Middle Eastern Travellers Can Explore
A Zhejiang holiday can be structured around several themes. Cultural travellers can focus on Hangzhou’s West Lake, traditional villages and historic architecture. Food-focused trips can explore local cuisine and tea culture, while nature itineraries can include mountain landscapes and rural areas.
Families can combine city attractions with scenic water towns, while business travellers can add cultural excursions to Hangzhou, Ningbo and other commercial centres.
A Growing China Travel Conversation in Dubai
The new centre arrives as Dubai hosts major international tourism activity. The 33rd Arabian Travel Market is running at Dubai World Trade Centre from September 14 to 17, bringing tourism organisations and industry professionals together from the UAE, the region and international markets. Government of Dubai Media Office
China’s presence at the event has included tourism and business engagement, with the Chinese Consulate General in Dubai highlighting cooperation around tourism, culture and technology. The new Zhejiang centre adds a province-level platform to that wider China-Middle East tourism dialogue. dubai.china-consulate.gov.cn
For travellers, the result is a clearer route into Zhejiang’s destinations, from Hangzhou’s lakes and tea culture to Ningbo’s maritime heritage and the province’s historic water towns. As the Dubai centre begins its work, Middle Eastern visitors will have more opportunities to discover Zhejiang through travel trade connections, cultural promotion and destination-focused tourism programmes.
