Chinese travel has experienced a spectacular upswing during the Lunar New Year. Like many foreigners, the Chinese have a passion for travel and a desire to experience new locations.
Travel to Saudi Arabia has also increased dramatically, nine times over since the coronavirus outbreak hit China in 2019. Traveler numbers and expenditures in Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia surpassed levels before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lifting of harsh COVID restrictions by Beijing in early 2023, which had effectively closed China’s borders for three years, has boosted traffic and signaled a vigorous resumption of travel, particularly for Chinese tourists visiting Southeast Asian countries without a visa. The rise is also a welcome reprieve for nations whose tourism sectors depend on Chinese travelers and their spending.
Travel website operator Trip.com reports that during February 10–17, bookings to Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia increased by more than 30% compared to 2019. Chinese travelers also made more trips to Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, and South Korea.
Eight days was the length of the holiday in 2024, one day longer than the Lunar New Year vacation in 2019. According to the travel website LY.com, hotel reservations for Bangkok increased threefold between February 10 and 13, year over year, while those for Singapore increased ninefold, indicating the impact of visa waivers.
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