China's extended Spring Festival Holiday drives travel surge

China expects a record 9 billion trips this Lunar New Year, thanks to the holiday extension to eight days, from January 28 to February 4

The longer eight-day holiday has encouraged many travelers to opt for “traveling for the New Year,” according to a poll done by the Ctrip travel agency and booking platform. Some 65% of respondents are choosing to spend the festival away from their hometowns—a 24% increase from the previous year.

Key takeaways

• The Lunar New Year holiday begins on January 28, but the Spring Festival travel period runs from January 14 to February 22, offering more flexibility and opportunities for domestic and international travel;
• Most travel remains domestic, with outbound tourism recovering due to lower airfares and relaxed visa policies. Popular destinations within a "four-hour flight circle" include Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea and Singapore;
• The extended vacation is also allowing more travelers to explore destinations beyond the "four-hour flight circle," with Hungary, Austria and Saudi Arabia experiencing significant growth in bookings.

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