The GCC countries, which are Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman, currently attract 1.9% of China's total outbound market, up from 1.3% in 2012.
Chinese arrivals to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are expected to increase 21 percent by 2021 to 2.5 million visitors annually, a report said.
According to data released by Canadian consultancy Colliers International, the GCC countries, which are Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman, currently attract 1.9 percent of China's total outbound market, up from 1.3 percent in 2012.
Saudi Arabia is set to see the highest proportionate increase in arrivals from China, up 35 percent on the 2016 figures. The UAE will follow at 20 percent, Oman at 12 percent and Bahrain and Kuwait at 7 percent.
The report says 154 million Chinese tourists prepare to go abroad in 2018 and a predicted 244 million in 2022.