Record Overseas Travel for Chinese Tourists During Extended Lunar New Year Break
The upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, extended to nine days from 15 February to usher in the Year of the Horse, is set to drive a significant surge in overseas travel by Chinese tourists. Travel agencies report that popular destinations include Russia, Australia, Thailand, and South Korea, but notably, Japan has lost much of its appeal among holidaymakers.
Surge in International Travel Amid Economic Uncertainty
China anticipates a record 9.5 billion passenger trips during the 40-day travel rush, up from 9.02 billion last year, as officials hope the longer holiday encourages more domestic and international travel. Amid an uncertain economic outlook, with a prolonged property downturn eroding household wealth and uneven post-pandemic growth fueling job insecurity, many Chinese are seeking to leave their troubles behind, however briefly.
Studies indicate that Chinese consumers are prioritizing spending on experiences. Consultants McKinsey noted in an August market update that consumers have quietly moved on, highlighting deeper shifts in consumption patterns. Domestic leisure demand is split between warm destinations like the tropical island of Hainan and snowy areas such as northeastern Changbai Mountain.
Top Destinations and Booking Trends
Thailand has returned as the top outbound destination, favored for its warm weather while most parts of China remain cold, according to Zhou Weihong, deputy general manager at Shanghai-based Spring Tour. Bookings to Russia on its platform have more than doubled from last year, with trips to northern Europe also seeing similar growth.
Sienna Parulis-Cook, marketing and communications director of Dragon Trail Research, attributed Russia's popularity to Moscow's December move to waive visas for Chinese visitors. She predicted increased Chinese travel to Russia for the rest of the year.
China's largest travel booking site, Trip.com Group, reported a rebound in long-haul travel, driving visitors to Australia up by more than 100% compared to the year-earlier period. Aviation intelligence firm IBA noted that seat capacity on international flights during the holiday has risen 9% year-on-year, with international flights now making up about half of total capacity.
Japan's Decline Amid Political Tensions
However, the picture is not all rosy for every destination. Simmering political tensions with Japan have eroded its appeal for Chinese visitors, who previously made it a top choice. Flight data for 2026 shows travel to Japan has dropped sharply due to strained ties and China's safety warnings to travelers.
In the week starting February 2, flights between China and Japan were down 49.2% from a year earlier, according to travel data provider Flight Master. All flights have been cancelled on 58 routes that operated during last year's Spring Festival, when Trip.com ranked Japan among the most popular overseas destinations alongside Thailand and other regional markets.
Airlines have responded by broadening refund and change policies for Japan routes, reflecting the significant impact of these geopolitical factors on travel patterns during this key holiday period.
