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Wego and Hong Kong Tourism Board Partner to Inspire Year-Round MENA Travel
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Wego, the Middle East and North Africa's largest online travel marketplace, has teamed up with the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) to promote year-round travel from the region to Hong Kong. The partnership will deliver curated destination guides, seasonal travel content, and personalized itineraries across Wego's platforms, targeting MENA travelers with tailored recommendations for every travel style. PR Newswire reported the deal marks a significant step in Hong Kong's push to attract high-spending Gulf visitors beyond traditional peak seasons.
The timing reflects real momentum. GCC arrivals to Hong Kong jumped 32% in 2024 compared to 2023 levels, according to HKTB data. Travelers from the UAE and Saudi Arabia spend an average of $3,500 to $4,200 per trip — nearly double the average regional tourist.
How Wego Plans to Win MENA Travelers for Hong Kong
Wego operates in over 76 countries and supports more than 20 languages, with MENA as its core market. The platform will feature curated guides, seasonal picks, and AI-driven itineraries designed to match Hong Kong's offerings to MENA traveler preferences. Those preferences range from luxury shopping and fine dining to family-friendly outdoor adventures like the Ngong Ping 360 cable car.
Mamoun Hmedan, Wego's Chief Business Officer, said Hong Kong offers "a blend of urban sophistication and natural beauty." He added that the partnership aims to "simplify the discovery process" by delivering content that "resonates with the specific preferences of the MENA audience." Wego acts as the primary travel search engine across much of the Arab world, giving it strong reach at the very start of the travel-planning journey.
Hong Kong Builds Halal-Ready Infrastructure to Welcome Gulf Tourists
Hong Kong now lists over 100 Halal-certified restaurants — a 40% increase since 2022. Major hotels are also adding Halal-certified kitchens and prayer rooms to meet demand. The Hong Kong government made this a policy priority in late 2023, pushing hotels and restaurants to get certified ahead of the expected rise in Muslim visitors from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
Puneet Kumar, HKTB's Director for South Asia and the Middle East, called the MENA region "a high-yield market with immense growth potential." He said HKTB is using Wego's dominant position in the Middle East to keep "Hong Kong top-of-mind for travelers throughout the year, not just during traditional peak seasons." The partnership is also expected to drive expanded flight routes from Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Cathay Pacific between Dubai, Doha, and Hong Kong.
A Multi-Year Push That Followed Pandemic Tourism Collapse
Hong Kong's tourism pivot to the Middle East did not happen overnight. HKTB first appeared at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai in May 2023, signaling its intent to court Gulf travelers. A formal Wego partnership launched in June 2024 focused on "Summer in Hong Kong." After bookings from the UAE and Saudi Arabia rose 25% year-on-year, the two sides expanded the deal into a full year-round framework in October 2025.
The shift was born from necessity. Hong Kong's tourism relied heavily on Mainland Chinese visitors and Western business travelers before the 2019 protests and the 2020–2023 pandemic lockdowns. Some financial analysts describe the MENA push as a strategic hedge, noting that many Western firms have moved their regional headquarters to Singapore, cooling business travel to Hong Kong.
Partnership Expected to Lift Revenue Per Visitor by Up to 20%
The campaign is forecast to drive a 15% to 20% increase in average revenue per visitor. MENA travelers tend to stay longer and spend more on retail and fine dining than short-haul regional tourists. Hong Kong's world-class dining scene, iconic skyline, and luxury retail strip are central to the campaign's messaging across Wego's app and website.
One key barrier remains: visa policy. Analysts note that a visa-waiver agreement between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia would be the single biggest unlock for frictionless travel growth from the Gulf. For now, the campaign focuses on inspiring demand and making the planning process easier through Wego's platform, with the hope that policy catches up to momentum already building on the ground.
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