Lunar New Year bookings across Trip.com Group’s platforms have climbed by double digits this year compared with the last, as travellers lean into longer holidays and more ambitious festive travel.
The season brings some of the longest holiday periods for Asian countries. In China, the public holiday spans nine days, while consumers can extend their break beyond 15 days by taking five days of annual leave. In Vietnam, people can enjoy up to nine days off, including weekends. Similar dynamics are seen in South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Group data shows that cross-border bookings with stays of seven nights or more have risen nearly 40 per cent year-on-year. Longhaul bookings have surged by over 50 per cent during the same period. Together, these trends point to travellers taking longer trips and venturing further afield during the festive period.
Europe and Oceania are emerging as top longhaul picks for Asian travellers this Lunar New Year.
Norway records the fastest growth among Singaporean travellers, with bookings soaring over 200 per cent year-on-year, boosted by experiences such as the Northern Lights, fjords, and scenic rail routes.
The Maldives, Turkey, Spain and Mongolia are also seeing rapid growth across markets. Australia attracts the most travellers from China – up over 100 per cent year-on-year, while New Zealand has caught global interest, rising close to 50 per cent year-on-year.
Longer holidays are also boosting interest in package tour products, noted, Trip.com Group.
Besides travelling for longer, people are also travelling better. First-class flight bookings have risen 83 per cent year-on-year, while business-class travel has risen 38 per cent. Similarly, five-star hotel demand has climbed 59 per cent.
In Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam, five-star hotels account for close to or more than half of all stays booked. Upper-tier properties represent around three-quarters of accommodation booked across these South-east Asian destinations.
Interest in regional travel is strong too – East Asia and South-east Asia accounted for the largest share of overall bookings this Lunar New Year season. Vietnam, South Korea and Indonesia are the fastest-growing destinations. Seoul, Ho Chi Minh City and Bali are top performing cities, with each recording year-on-year booking growth of more than 70 per cent.
China, which enjoys a brisk tourism season every Lunar New Year due to holidaying locals, is gaining international interest. Besides strong travel demand from Asian markets, China is also seeing robust growth from countries in Europe and Oceania. In particular, bookings from the UK and New Zealand have each increased by more than 150 per cent year on year.
Major gateway cities, including Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou, account for the largest share of inbound visitors.
