China’s affluent outbound audiences across tourism, investment and luxury sectors offer a $1 trillion opportunity for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to tap into the market, says a new report.
The aim is to connect Middle East & Africa (MEA) region with China’s dynamic advertising landscape through precision targeting, while also attracting Chinese travellers and investors to the region, says the report titled “The New Gulf Horizon: Engaging China’s Affluent in the GCC”, launched by Huawei Mobile Services’ Petal Ads and EternityX, its certified MENA partner and AI-powered marketing platform.
Powered by Huawei’s ecosystem of 730 million global users and EternityX’s PilotX platform with 9.6 trillion behavioural data points, the report offers a data-backed roadmap to unlock growth.
Through this initiative, Petal Ads aims to create seamless cross-regional connections, equipping MEA businesses with the tools and insights needed to engage the most relevant audiences and achieve measurable success. At the same time, the platform will serve as a strategic bridge for Chinese stakeholders, enabling them to explore new opportunities in MEA markets that align with their business goals.
“Huawei connects over 90 million users in MEA through AppGallery, Huawei Browser, and Huawei Music,” said William Hu, Managing Director of Huawei Consumer Business Group, Middle East and Africa Eco-Development and Operation, “Our collaboration with EternityX empowers brands to turn every interaction into measurable growth.”
China’s outbound surge: A GCC growth engine
In 2024, Chinese outbound travellers reached 145 million, spending $805 billion globally. Yet, the Middle East captured less than 10% of this flow. Additionally, China’s outbound investment reached $192.2 billion, focusing on sectors aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 and UAE’s diversification goals.
Data-backed blueprint for action
The report identifies three immediate imperatives for GCC enterprises and destinations seeking measurable returns:
1. Bridge messaging and market access – align tourism and investment narratives for unified positioning.
2. Localise with precision – leverage simplified Chinese content and trusted local platforms for credibility.
3. Activate the new affluent class – engage younger, self-made, and increasingly female HNWIs through personalised, mobile-first campaigns.
“This is a strategic roadmap built on real data,” said Deric Wong, Chief Business Officer, Global, EternityX. “By decoding the digital signals of China’s most influential audiences, GCC brands can move from visibility to conversion and capture a decade of sustained growth.”
From insight to action: Accelerating GCC success
The report outlines five steps for GCC brands to convert insights into performance:
• Segmented media mastery – engage across the full consumer journey.
• Cultural precision – build trust with authentic, localised storytelling.
• Integrated messaging – combine tourism, lifestyle, and investment narratives.
• Female empowerment – target financially independent Chinese women.
• Seamless experience – expand payment and service integrations.
“This is the moment for the Middle East to lead,” said Iris Guan, General Manager, Middle East, EternityX. “With Huawei’s ecosystem and EternityX’s intelligence, we’re helping brands move from awareness to action.”
This vision is driven by Petal Ads’ advanced DSP, Huawei’s proprietary ad inventory, and a powerful DMP. Using first-party data, it enables precise targeting and performance optimization, fostering growth and innovation while bridging MEA and China to help brands achieve impactful, measurable success in the global advertising landscape. – TradeArabia News Service
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