Petal Ads, the global advertising platform within Huawei Mobile Services (HMS), together with EternityX, Huawei Petal Ads’ certified partner in MENA region and the leading AI-powered marketing technology platform connecting global brands to Chinese audiences, today unveiled “The New Gulf Horizon: Engaging China’s Affluent in the GCC.”
Petal Ads and EternityX are proud to announce a new initiative aimed at connecting the Middle East & Africa (MEA) region with China’s dynamic advertising landscape. The collaboration seeks to empower MEA advertisers to effectively reach their target audiences with precision and relevance — tailored to each brand’s unique business objectives and KPIs — while simultaneously attracting Chinese investors and travelers to the MEA region.
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.
This collaborative report delivers a data-driven blueprint for how the Middle East can unlock China’s affluent outbound audiences — including 15–20 million travellers, over one million investors, and 50–60 million high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) — representing a USD 1 trillion+ economic opportunity across tourism, investment, and luxury sectors.
Powered by Huawei’s Petal Ads ecosystem, which reaches over 730 million global users, and EternityX’s proprietary PilotX Data Management Platform with 9.6 trillion behavioural data points, the report decodes the motivations, journeys, and digital patterns of these segments — enabling GCC markets to convert attention into measurable growth.
Data Source: HUAWEI DMP, PilotX DMP, as of Aug 2025.
“Huawei’s ecosystem sits at the intersection of technology and human mobility, connecting over 90 million users across the Middle East and Africa through platforms such as AppGallery, Huawei Browser, and Huawei Music. This collaboration combines the scale of our ecosystem with the precision of data intelligence—empowering brands in the GCC to turn every customer interaction into meaningful insight and measurable growth.” said William Hu, Managing Director of Huawei Consumer Business Group, Middle East and Africa Eco-Development and Operation.
China’s Global Consumers: The GCC’s Next Growth Engine
China’s outbound economy is expanding rapidly — with 145 million outbound trips in 2024 and USD 805 billion in total spending, while the Middle East captured less than 10% of that flow. Meanwhile, USD 192.2 billion in outbound investment has focused on AI, infrastructure, energy, and logistics — sectors aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 and UAE diversification agendas.
Data Source: ITB CHINA, Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China.
A Data-Backed Blueprint for Immediate 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, illustrating how Chinese outbound capital and consumption are entering a new era of global mobility. By decoding the digital signals of China’s most influential audiences, we can show GCC brands how to transition from visibility to conversion.
The winners will be those who act first to embed data intelligence in every stage of their engagement, capturing a decade of sustained growth in travel, investment, and luxury demand.” said Deric Wong, Chief Business Officer, Global, EternityX.
“Our data shows that 62% of Huawei users travel more than once annually, and nearly half spend over USD 5,000 per trip. With first-party insights from Petal Ads, brands can target these audiences with precision — connecting every travel, shopping, and investment moment within the Huawei ecosystem,” said William Hu.
Data Source: HUAWEI DMP, as of Aug 2025, ITB CHINA.
From Insight to Action: Accelerating GCC Success
The report outlines five steps for turning insights into measurable market performance:
• Segmented Media Mastery – Engage audiences across the full consumer journey. Cultural Precision – Build trust through authentic, localised storytelling.
• Integrated Messaging – Combine tourism, lifestyle, and investment narratives for unified appeal.
• Female Empowerment – Highlight the growing influence of financially independent Chinese women.
• Seamless Experience – Expand Payment integrations across destinations.
“This is the moment for the Middle East to lead. Through Huawei’s ecosystem and EternityX’s intelligence, we’re helping brands move from awareness to action — and from interest to investment. As digital maturity accelerates across the Gulf, those who turn visibility into measurable outcomes will define the region’s next growth chapter,” said Iris Guan, General Manager, Middle East, EternityX.
This ambitious vision is powered by Petal Ads’ state-of-the-art DSP platform, Huawei’s proprietary advertising inventory, and an advanced Data Management Platform (DMP). Leveraging first-party data, Petal Ads enables precise audience segmentation, ensuring brands can effectively reach their desired market segments while optimizing performance against key business indicators.
Ultimately, Petal Ads remains committed to fostering growth, collaboration, and innovation across the global advertising ecosystem — bridging the gap between MEA and China and empowering brands to achieve new heights of success.
Download the full report here.
