Chinese dragon as a character for the dragon dance at the Chinese New Year festival.
Chinese New Year this year falls on February 10th and is considered one of the largest annual tourism events in the world. Tens of millions of travelers across the country take a trip to see family, enjoy cultural highlights and make the most of the celebrations, generating hundreds of billions of yuan for travel sellers, providers and intermediaries.
This year, HBX Group data has revealed that Harbin, Shenzhen and Guangzhou are among the big winners for the Chinese New Year, which runs from 9-17 February. Political and commercial capitals such as Beijing and Shanghai are also among the top five destinations as the country enters the Year of the Dragon.
When it comes to length of stay, most travellers, both national and international, choose to stay between 2 and 6 nights, trying to make the most of the holiday season.
Pippa Williamson, VP Commercial APAC at HBX Group said: “Celebrating Chinese New Year is not only a cherished tradition, but also an important economic driver for the travel industry. Our latest data highlights the resilience and adaptability of both travellers and destinations. We remain dedicated to providing our partners with actionable insights and innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of travellers in the APAC region.”
Boom in Arrivals
Changes in official regulations are also driving demand for travel this year. China lifted its final Covid-19 travel restrictions in August, making this year the first New Year celebrations since the turn of the decade to be completely free. Officials also recently granted visa-free entry for up to 15 days to citizens of five European nations (France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain), while visa-free entry for citizens Singapore was resumed.
The changes have led to a ten-fold increase the inbound market for the Chinese New Year in 2024.
According to HBX Group data, the main outbound markets include Thailand, Japan, the United States, Spain and the United Kingdom. While the most popular destinations for the inbound market are Shanghai, Guangzhou, Taipei, Macau and Hong Kong.
Looking Overseas
In terms of the outbound market from China, Thailand destinations such as Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya are experiencing an increase in demand, while other destinations such as Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Singapore, Bali and London are proving to be also popular this year.
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