Chinese tourists on the rise in Arab nations

Spurred by visa-free policies, Middle East destinations witness surge in number of travelers

GUANGZHOU - Abdul Rahman Mohammad, an Egyptian tour guide, has noticed that some of the cruise ships that tour up and down the Nile River, as well as restaurants and hotels in the south of the country, have started to offer hot water - to cater for growing numbers of Chinese tourists.

"Chinese are surely among the most welcome tourists in Egypt," said the 26-year-old Egyptian, while visiting the Chinese cities of Hangzhou and Shanghai last week to seek partners for a travel agency he co-founded in Egypt three years ago.