Chinese tourists head to Russia, Thailand on extended Lunar New Year break

Popular destinations include Russia, Australia, Thailand, and South Korea, although Japan's appeal has diminished.

The Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, is one of China's longest holidays, lasting nine days this year from February 15, a day longer than usual, to mark the beginning of the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac.

Traditionally, millions of people return home to reunite with their families, boosting spending at shops, cinemas, and restaurants as families celebrate both domestically and abroad.

China anticipates a record 9.5 billion passenger trips during the 40-day travel rush, an increase from 9.02 billion last year.

Officials are optimistic that the longer holiday will encourage more people to travel, both within China and internationally.

"Thailand has reclaimed its position as the top outbound destination due to its warmer climate, especially when many parts of China are still cold," said Zhou Weihong, a representative of Spring Tour, a travel agency based in Shanghai.

With an uncertain economic future, many Chinese citizens are seeking to escape their daily challenges, even if just for a short while.

The country has experienced a prolonged property downturn, impacting household wealth, and uneven economic growth following the Covid-19 pandemic has led to job insecurities.

Recent studies show that Chinese consumers are increasingly focused on spending on experiences.

A market update from McKinsey in August indicated that "Consumers seem to have quietly moved on... reflecting deeper shifts in China’s consumption patterns."

This year, domestic leisure travel demand is split between warm and snowy destinations, with popular trips to tropical Hainan Island and the snowy Changbai Mountain in northeastern China, Zhou added.

Spring Tour has also seen a significant rise in bookings to Russia, with demand doubling compared to last year.

The agency has also noted an uptick in trips to northern Europe.

"For the rest of the year, we expect an increase in Chinese travel to Russia," said Sienna Parulis-Cook, marketing director of Dragon Trail Research.

The surge in popularity is attributed to Moscow's decision to waive visa requirements for Chinese visitors in December.

China's largest travel platform, Trip.com Group, reported a more than 100% increase in bookings to Australia compared to last year, driven by the resurgence in long-haul travel.

According to aviation data provider IBA, international flight capacity during the holiday period has increased by 9%, both for inbound and outbound flights.

"The international market is playing an increasingly important role in Spring Festival travel," said IBA in a report, noting that international flights now account for around half of total air travel capacity.

However, not all destinations are seeing growth.

Political tensions with Japan have dampened its appeal to Chinese travellers, who once favoured it as a top destination.

Data from February 2026 shows a sharp decline in travel to Japan, with flight numbers dropping by 49.2% from the previous year.

China's safety warnings to travellers have further impacted bookings, leading airlines to offer more flexible refund and change policies for Japan-bound flights.

In the week starting February 2, flights between China and Japan were down by nearly half, according to travel data provider Flight Master.

Additionally, 58 routes that operated during last year's Spring Festival have been cancelled.

Last year, Japan was ranked among the most popular overseas destinations, alongside Thailand and other regional spots.