MENA Luxury Travel Platform CONNECT. XCITE Emerges as Industry Game-Changer

The second iteration of CONNECT. XCITE MENA, formerly Connect. China, concluded on 7 September 2025, delivering a compelling fusion of business, culture, and refined hospitality across Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Doha. The event solidified its status as the foremost luxury travel nexus uniting influential buyers from China and Singapore with premier hospitality and lifestyle providers across the MENA region.

At its core, the initiative CONNECT. XCITE Emerges as Industry Game-Changer, offering a deliberately curated platform that blends high-level networking with immersive, culturally rich experiences. The week-long affair—themed “The Dream – For Dream Explorers”—featured exclusive meetings at Banyan Tree Dubai and Delano Dubai, immersive showcases in Ras Al Khaimah, and cultural highlights in Doha including visits to the National Museum of Qatar, Place Vendôme and the Museum of Islamic Art.

Industry insiders have noted a significant shift in outbound luxury travel dynamics from China and Singapore. Departing from conventional shopping tours and group itineraries, affluent travellers increasingly demand rich, story-driven experiences—ranging from heritage engagement and wellness retreats to bespoke itineraries offering privacy and bespoke services. The MENA region is stepping up to meet these evolving preferences with a multi-faceted offering that spans innovation, heritage, desert landscapes and urban sophistication.

The immersive format of CONNECT. XCITE, which allowed buyers to engage in real-world settings rather than through brochures, reportedly fostered deeper connections built on trust and shared experience. This approach is credited with elevating the quality of partnerships and enhancing the long-term value of collaborations between Asia and the MENA travel and hospitality sectors.

Xing Zhang, Founder of Connect Xcite, highlighted the event’s success, noting that the 2025 edition "has exceeded all expectations, both in the quality of connections established and the depth of cultural and luxury experiences shared. CONNECT. XCITE is more than a networking event — it is a celebration of partnership, creativity, and the limitless opportunities that exist between Asia and the MENA region."

The agreements and collaborations forged at CONNECT. XCITE are expected to yield bespoke travel offerings, enhanced hospitality developments, and enduring cross-regional partnerships that affirm the MENA region’s pivotal role in shaping the future of luxury travel between Asia and the Middle East.