China’s Extended Lunar New Year Holiday Sparks Travel Boom

Group tours and flight reservations are filling up rapidly well in advance of the eight-day public holiday set to commence on January 28.

China is poised for a significant rise in travel demand during the upcoming Lunar New Year, bolstered by the recent extension of the public holiday to encourage increased travel activity.

Preliminary insights from Chinese travel agencies reveal that travelers are actively planning and booking trips well in advance of the extended eight-day holiday, scheduled from January 28 to February 4.

Leading travel provider eLong Inc. announced on Monday that airfare prices are projected to jump by 80 to 90 percent between January 23 and 27, the week leading up to the Lunar New Year, with fares on some high-demand routes surging by over 100 percent.

Tuniu, a leading travel operator, revealed on Monday that group travel bookings for the Spring Festival surged by 40% compared to the previous week, as reported by Shanghai-based media outlet The Paper.

In December, Beijing announced plans to extend the Spring Festival holiday to eight days starting in 2025, aiming to encourage consumer spending. This move targets middle- and lower-income households, which have been prioritizing savings over discretionary spending

The Lunar New Year remains China’s most significant holiday, traditionally marked by millions traveling to their hometowns for family reunions. Authorities are increasingly using this festive period to promote domestic tourism as part of broader efforts to revitalize domestic consumption.

Chinese tourists spent a total of 632.69 billion yuan (approximately US$86.68 billion) during the 2024 Lunar New Year holiday, reflecting a 7.7% increase compared to the same period in 2019.