Zhongtong strengthens its presence in Saudi Arabia with another 248 tourist coaches

On June 13, another 248 Zhongtong buses set off ceremonially from the company’s headquarters in Liaocheng (Shandong province, China) for Saudi Arabia, further strengthening economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, as well as the presence of Chinese bus manufacturers in the Middle East. The shipment consists of various luxury coach types between 9 and 12 metres in length, including models from Zhongtong’s H series, intended as a global product.

The global advance of Chinese bus manufacturers appears unstoppable, and this is particularly true of the Middle East. The procurement of the 248-unit contingent now dispatched by Zhongtong is linked to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 state reform programme, one of the key pillars of which is the development of tourism. Since entering the market in 2005, Zhongtong has now sold more than 16,000 buses in the Middle Eastern kingdom, including this latest delivery, making it a leading player in the local market in just over two decades — a success the manufacturer attributes to the reliable operating performance of its products. The brand’s offering in the region covers the segments of urban public transport, premium tourist coaches and school buses alike. In addition, vehicles procured for the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, the Hajj, account for a significant share of sales, representing a huge and stable business opportunity not only for the main regional market players, but also for other Chinese bus manufacturers.

In the foreground are luxury Zhongtong H9 midi tourist coaches built for NANCO, which operates more than 600 buses. The Riyadh-based company has been a repeat Zhongtong customer since 2022

In Saudi Arabia, the extreme climatic conditions — above all temperatures that can exceed 50°C in summer — pose the greatest challenge for buses and their manufacturers, while the strictness of the quality and technical requirements rivals those in Europe and North America. The intensive, campaign-like use of vehicles during the Hajj peak period also places a heavy burden on the fleet. As the number of pilgrims increases year after year, demand is also growing for the tourist coaches serving them. Zhongtong is seeking to meet these expectations through localised R&D investments and models tailored to local transport needs as well as climatic and road conditions, as was the case with the buses just delivered.

Oriental comfort on board the vehicles built for NANCO

According to Zhongtong’s communications, the successive large-volume overseas orders demonstrate the effectiveness of its strategy built on premium products and an international presence, as well as the global recognition of the company’s technical competence and its customised solutions adapted to different local requirements. The essence of the Chinese manufacturer’s consistent market-building in recent years has been to open the way into key markets with high-volume projects carrying significant reference value, and then gradually expand the brand’s presence into surrounding regions on the strength of product recognition and localised services. In the third phase, “breakthrough” and “regional spillover” are followed by the continuous strengthening of long-term market presence. Zhongtong has successfully applied this market strategy in recent years in key regions such as the Middle East, Latin America, and Central and Southeast Asia. Today, the Chinese manufacturer is basing its international expansion on its premium H-series tourist coaches and the N-series family of fully electric city buses; examples of the latter can already be seen on the roads in some Western European countries, such as Portugal and Denmark.

Photos: Zhongtong Bus