Travel industry insiders say that more Chinese travelers are expected to travel abroad during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, with popular destinations including Russia, Australia, Thailand, and South Korea, while Japan’s popularity has declined slightly.
According to foreign media reports, welcoming the Year of the Horse, this year’s Chinese New Year holiday will last 9 days from the 15th, one day longer than usual.
China expects cross-regional travel during the 40-day Spring Festival travel period to hit a record 9.5 billion trips, and officials hope that the longer holiday will stimulate more domestic and international tourism.
Zhou Weihong, Deputy General Manager of Shanghai Spring Tour International Travel Agency, said: "Most parts of China are still cold, so Thailand—thanks to its pleasant climate—has regained its status as a top outbound travel choice."
Zhou Weihong stated that domestic leisure travel demand has become more diversified this year. Warm destinations like Hainan Island and snowy locations like Changbai Mountain in the northeast are very popular. On the Spring Tour travel platform, bookings to Russia have more than doubled compared to last year, and northern Europe is also showing growth.
Meanwhile, due to ongoing political tensions, Japan—which used to be the top travel destination for Chinese tourists—has become less attractive.
According to travel data provider Flight Master, starting from the week of the 2nd, flights between China and Japan have decreased by 49.2% compared to the same period last year.