Strong recovery in outbound travel during Chinese New Year

As the Chinese New Year (CNY) 2025 concluded, a dynamic shift in travel trends unfolded.

The extended eight-day break, from 28 January to 4 February, has sparked a revival in domestic travel and presented a strong recovery in outbound tourism.

Focus on Regional Destinations

Economic factors are prompting many Chinese travellers to choose closer and more affordable destinations within Asia. Leading outbound travel choices include Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia. These offer cost-effective options and favourable exchange rates. The depreciation of the yen made Japan a top choice, with visitor numbers doubling compared to last year and surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 20%.

Data from Shanghai Springtour International Travel Agency (Group) Co Ltd confirms Japan as the leading overseas destination during the Spring Festival holiday. Meanwhile Malaysia and Thailand have attracted more visitors due to relaxed visa policies, offering easier entry and competitive pricing. Destinations such as Vietnam, Singapore, and Indonesia have reported over 50% growth in ticketing volume during the holiday period due to their proximity and value.

Recovery of Long-Haul Destinations

While short-haul travel dominated, long-haul trips also showed signs of recovery. Europe and North America saw growth driven by increased flight capacity and early planning. According to Springtour, more tourists travelled to distant destinations, including Spain, Australia, Hungary, and New Zealand. Data from the Qunar platform revealed that Chinese tourists visited over 2,100 overseas cities worldwide, marking a 50% increase compared to last year.

France, the UK, Spain, The Netherlands, Iceland, Hungary, and Italy experienced growth rates exceeding 30% compared to last year, as Chinese tourists embraced longer-haul trips. Surprisingly Norway has entered the top 20 CNY destinations, driven by its natural landscapes and winter attractions. While countries worked to increase flight availability, Russia, the USA, and Canada saw a boost in flight bookings. Russia experienced a 39% growth compared to pre-pandemic levels, while flights to Canada rose by 165%, and bookings to the US increased by 42%.

Rise in Cruise Travel

International cruise trips surged by nearly 200% during Chinese New Year, with independent cruisers increasing by approximately 56% compared to last year. This highlights a growing interest in alternative travel experiences.

Evolving Travel Patterns

Chinese travellers are increasingly opting for solo or small-group trips instead of traditional group tours. Compared to 2019, solo trips increased by 8%, and couples’ travel grew by 6%, particularly for short-haul destinations. This trend resulted in a decline in large, organised group travel (down 44% for regional trips and over 50% for long-haul journeys). According to Mafengwo’s CNY report, younger travellers are favouring off-the-beaten-path experiences.

Value-for-Money Travel

Economic challenges are driving Chinese tourists towards mid-range accommodations and shorter booking windows to prioritise affordability. Bookings for three to four star hotels have increased, while five-star accommodations have dropped from 32.2% to 26.5% of total bookings. Moreover, nearly 75% of travellers booked trips less than a month in advance, taking advantage of late discounts and offers.

Booming Domestic Travel

Despite the surge in outbound travel, domestic tourism remained central to CNY celebrations. China recorded 501 million domestic tourist trips during the eight-day Spring Festival holiday, a 5.9% year-on-year increase. Spending exceeded 677 billion yuan (approximately 73.79 billion GBP), with self-driven journeys and rail travel particularly popular in major cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou, and Harbin.

Helena Beard, Managing Director of Guanxi, a specialist Chinese Travel PR and Representation Agency, said: “The rise in regional travel and the growing preference for independent, small-group trips highlights a significant shift in consumer behaviour.”

It’s interesting to see emerging destinations like Norway and Iceland gaining in popularity. It will be fascinating to see whether these trends persist throughout the Year of the Snake and what impact they may have.”

Guanxi is a UK and Beijing-based Travel PR, Representation and social media agency specialising in China.  It represents in China for international clients including London Gatwick, Samoa Tourism Authority, Marketing Manchester and City Cruises. Find out more at www.guanxi.group.

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