Anestis K. Fotiadis
Anestis K. Fotiadis
Professor, Zayed University - Abu Dhabi, UAE
Anestis K. Fotiadis is a Full Professor and Assistant Dean of Research and Outreach at Zayed University, College of Business, Department of Management, Abu Dhabi, UAE. He studied Business Administration at Moscow University of Commerce (BSc, 1998), holds one MSc on IT in Business Administration (MSc 2002) and one on Tourism Business Administration (MSc, 2005). He holds a Ph.D. (2009) in International Business Administration from the University of Pecs in Hungary. He has delivered lectures both at the undergraduate and the postgraduate level as a tenured faculty in universities in Greece and Taiwan before he joined Zayed University.
His main area of research is associated with tourism management, event management, hospitality management and sustainable development. Lately, he is working on smart tourism, neuroscience and halal tourism research. He has published more than 40 research papers in international academic journals such as Annals of Tourism Research, Tourism Management, Journal of Business Research, International Journal of Hospitality Management, along with several books and book chapters. He is a member of multiple scientific associations and a reviewer for top tier international journals.
THE GLOBAL VOICES AT THE GHANA CENTRE FOR CHINA STUDIES
On August 13, 2025 Anestis K. Fotiadis, Professor of Tourism Management and Assistant Dean of Research and Outreach at Zayed University, shared with the Ghana Centre for China Studies his perspective on why the UAE is appealing to Chinese tourists.
Lead:
The UAE has emerged as one of the go-to-destinations among Chinese tourists this year,
surpassing traditional favourites, like some European cities and the Maldives. According to data
from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), in 2024 Dubai welcomed 824, 000 Chinese
tourists, a 31 percent increase compared to the previous year.
I have stayed in Taiwan for years so I will answer not scientifically but more personally. First, security plays a major role. The UAE is widely regarded as one of the safest destinations in the world, with low crime rates and strict law enforcement, which gives visitors a sense of comfort and reassurance during their stay. In some countries Chinese are not so welcomed but UAE offers a multicultural environment where people of all nationalities are welcomed without any racism. Also I think that Chinese can pay without problem here as we never use cash.
Production credits: This publication is produced by the Ghana Centre for China Studies,
Africa’s preeminent and most comprehensive platform exclusively dedicated to authoritative
interpretation of China’s domestic and foreign policies.
At the Ghana Centre for China Studies we eschew specific policy positions. All positions and
opinions expressed in this publication are solely those of the author (s).