Travellers are prioritising longer stays meaningful experiences and unconventional destinations this year
With the Lunar New Year travels, said to be the world’s largest annual human migration, gets underway with a frenetic pace, a report by a leading Chinese travel firm says that the year 2025, Year of Snake, will see a significant evolution in the travellers’ preferences.
In its report, Trip.com says that travellers are prioritising longer stays, meaningful experiences and unconventional destinations this year. It says that there is a strong year-on-year growth for cross-border travel, with travellers combining public holidays and annual leave to increase their length of stay.
Notably, in the Chinese mainland, a key source of LNY travel, New Year’s Eve is officially recognised and it has allowed travellers to take just two days of leave for an 11-day holiday. Korean travellers need to take one day for a nine-day break, while Singaporeans can create a five-day holiday with a single day off. As such, extended stays are a hallmark of this year’s LNY. On average, Asia-Pacific travellers will stay up to 10 pc longer this festive period.
Popular destinations frequented by travellers who celebrate LNY include Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Chinese mainland, says the report. It says that there is a strong pick-up in travellers exploring destinations outside the Asia-Pacific region, with medium and long-haul flights surging, especially among the Malaysia market, where it has risen by 55 pc and 60 pc respectively and South Korean market, which has seen a 36 pc rise in medium-haul flights and 90 pc jump in long-haul destinations.
Short-haul flights remained a popular option among travellers with shorter national holidays
The report adds that travellers are also seeking new experiences, with a noticeable buzz around off-the-beaten-path destinations this festive season. These include lesser-travelled spots such as Giza in Egypt, famous for the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx, San Luis Obispo in the United States, known for its wineries and scenic coastline and and Charenton-le-Pont in France.
The report adds that the trend has extended to popular Asian destinations, with more seeking out lesser-known cities, such as Funabashi, Ibaraki and Okinawa in Japan and Seremban in Malaysia.
Short-haul flights remained a popular option among travellers with shorter national holidays. Malaysia and Thailand topped the charts for this in terms of booking volume growth, it says.
Family gatherings are central to Lunar New Year traditions, and this year, families are heading out together for festive fun, on the seas and on theme park rides.
The anaylsis highlights that cruises are becoming an increasingly popular choice among Chinese mainland and Singaporean consumers, with data highlighting a triple-digit growth compared to last year. Among these, family-friendly rooms have risen by 400 pc, with the most popular ports including Shanghai, Singapore and Dubai, and attractive port destinations being Fukuoka in Japan, Jeju in South Korea and Phuket in Thailand. Trip.com says its research reveals luxurious amenities and all-inclusive packages are emerging as the biggest motivators for APAC cruise travellers.
Inbound travel bookings to the Chinese mainland have surged by over 200 pc year-on-year
In a similar trend, child tickets for attractions have also risen by 42 pc in overall bookings this year, with family-oriented attractions like Universal Studios Japan, Hong Kong Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland seeing notable increases. These theme park attractions, alongside aquariums and museums, are top choices for families seeking memorable experiences.
It says that millennials are increasingly seeking Instagram-worthy moments at attractions like Mount Fuji and Shibuya Sky, which offers panoramic Tokyo views. Meanwhile, the older generations are prioritising luxury and premium experiences, gravitating towards luxuries such as Studio City Macau casino resort and Niseko’s ski resorts.
Travellers are adopting a mix of premium and value-driven approaches to maximise their holiday experiences.
There has been a strong pickup in bookings for five & four-star hotels, with a rise in average bookings. Malaysian travellers lead this growth with close to a triple-digit surge in these upscale hotel bookings, followed by Singaporean and Thai travellers.
The report says théat demand for alternative accommodations has grown significantly, especially in Japan, with traditional Japanese Ryokans, apartments, guesthouses and homestays topping the list for Chinese mainland, Thai and South Korean travellers.
According to the travel agecy, the average traveller’s budget has seen double-digit growth, showcasing a willingness to invest in meaningful experiences during this festive season. Business class and first-class flights are trending this LNY, with strong double-digit growth across each segment. Singaporeans favour first-class air travel, with a 400 pc growth compared to last year, followed by South Korean and Chinese mainland travellers, also with strong triple-digit growth.
Inbound travel bookings to the Chinese mainland have surged by over 200 pc year-on-year, with top bookings made by travellers from South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Data shows that popular Chinese travel routes continue to find increased popularity, with searches hitting triple-digit growth. Travel is centred around key major cities, including Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Beijing, with other lesser-travelled cities like Harbin, Chengdu, Xiamen, Zhuhai, Chongqing, and Hangzhou also making the list.
China’s increasingly traveller-friendly visa policies are fuelling this growth. Over 30 countries enjoy visa-free travel to the Chinese mainland, with 62 pc year-on-year growth in bookings from countries recently included in this policy. South Korea, Japan, Cyprus, Denmark, Korea, Japan, Cyprus, Denmark and Croatia are benefitting from this recent policy.
Additionally, China’s expanded visa-free transit policy, now extending to stays up to 240 hours or 10 days for eligible international travellers, is injecting fresh vitality into its various sectors.