In the Year of the Horse, China’s outbound travellers are galloping back onto the global stage.
This year’s extended nine-day Spring Festival holiday, which began on 15 February and is among the longest in recent years, is expected to generate a record 9.5 billion passenger trips as Chinese travellers make the most of the break.
Winners and losers
Australia, Russia, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam are seeing increased traffic during the festive period. Thailand, which experienced a sharp decline in Chinese visitors last year amid safety concerns, is reported to be regaining popularity this year.
By contrast, former favourite Japan continues to see demand fall sharply – by as much as 60% compared with last year – following a widely publicised political dispute late last year.
Air connectivity is keeping pace. Chinese airlines are steadily expanding international routes, and Beijing Daxing International Airport reports growing traction for long-haul destinations to the Middle East and Europe, alongside established regional favourites such as Hong Kong, Macao, and Southeast Asian countries.
Meanwhile, the Chinese demand for medium- to long-haul outbound travel has risen significantly.
Guan Jian, spokesperson of the GZL International Travel Service, told Chinese media that the agency sent nearly 300 outbound tour groups in the week before Chinese New Year's Eve on 16 February, with 65% of these being eight- to 12-day long-haul products.
Many Chinese tourists are opting for trips of similar duration to destinations such as Australia, New Zealand, Russia and Europe, Guan said.
More value-seeking travellers
China’s outbound travel market is projected to exceed 225 million trips in 2026, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, according to a joint study by EternityX and MoonFox. More than 90% of affluent Chinese travellers are already planning overseas trips this year.
High-net-worth individuals now average more than 16 days on long-haul journeys, with per-capita budgets frequently exceeding RMB100,000 (US$14,500). Mid-haul travel is expanding into higher-income segments, while short-haul trips continue to anchor overall volume.
This trend mirrors double-digit growth in visa applications for outbound travel in 2025, with Northern and Central-Eastern Europe emerging as key growth drivers. Iceland remains popular for Northern Lights tourism, while Norway and Sweden are posting double-digit increases, positioning the Nordics as a reliable growth market. Italy and Germany continue to record strong gains, according to a report by VFS Global.