Chinese Travelers Flock to Russia, Thailand for Lunar New Year 2026

February 13, 2026 | 06:46 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Chinese tourists planning to vacation abroad during the Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year holiday are expected to surge. Travel agencies noted a large number of tourists booking vacations to Russia, Australia, Thailand, and South Korea. Japan, which was a popular destination last year, is starting to lose its appeal for Chinese tourists.

The Lunar New Year holiday, known as the Spring Festival, is one of the longest holidays in China. This year, it lasts for 9 days, from February 15 to 23, one day longer than usual.

In the traditional Chinese society, the Lunar New Year holiday calls for homecoming trips, where people travel to their hometowns for family reunions. China expects a record 9.5 billion passenger trips during the 40-day travel rush, up from 9.02 billion last year. The government hopes that the longer holiday will encourage more tourists to take domestic or international trips.

Russia and Thailand: Popular Destinations

Sienna Parulis-Cook, the director of marketing and communications of Dragon Trail Research, said that many Chinese tourists have booked vacations to Russia. The number of bookings has doubled from last year, as well as trips to Northern Europe.

"For the rest of the year, we'll probably see increased Chinese travel to Russia," Sienna said as quoted by The Independent, Thursday, February 12, 2026.

Russia has become a popular destination for Chinese residents not only because of its popularity. Since December 2025, Russia has abolished visa requirements for Chinese tourists, making visits easier.

In addition to Russia, Thailand is also in high demand. Zhou Weihong, a representative of Shanghai-based Spring Tour, said that Thailand has become the most popular foreign tourist destination due to its weather. "When most parts of China remain cold," Zhou said.

In addition, the largest travel booking site in China, Trip.com, said that there has been more than a 100% increase in visitors to Australia compared to the previous year.

Declining Appeal of Japan

Japan is no longer a favorite destination for Chinese tourists, as political tensions with China continue to simmer. Flight data for 2026 shows a sharp decline in trips to Japan, with airlines extending refund and route change policies for Japan.

Starting from February 2, flights between China and Japan are down by 49.2% compared to the previous year, according to the travel data provider Flight Master. As many as 58 China-Japan flight routes operated during last year's Spring Festival have been canceled.

Read: 'Reverse Homecoming' Gains Popularity During Lunar New Year in China

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