Extended Public Holidays, Reshaping Travel Behaviour
BALI, SINGAPORE, BTNp: DIGITAL travel platform Agoda reveals new insights for the Lunar New Year travel period, highlighting increased intra-Asia travel during the festive period. Agoda search data indicates that 70% of interest in travel to Japan and over 25% of interest in travel to Thailand come from within the region.
According Trip.com Group reports strong momentum for Lunar New Year 2026 travel, with bookings up by double digits’ year-on-year as travellers take longer trips, travel further and increasingly opt for premium options.
Data show that seven-night or longer cross-border stays have increased by nearly 40% year-on-year, while long-haul bookings are up by more than 50%. These trends indicate a shift toward extended holidays and more ambitious travel during the festive period.
Extended public holidays across Asia-Pacific markets are playing a key role in reshaping Lunar New Year travel behavior. In China, the 2026 holiday spans nine days and can extend to 15 days if five days of annual leave are taken. In Vietnam, combining public holidays with weekends allows up to nine days off, while similar patterns are observed in South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.
As a result, travellers are increasingly opting for layered itineraries and longer-distance journeys. Europe and Oceania have emerged as leading long-haul destinations for Asian travellers. Norway recorded the fastest growth among Singapore-based travellers, with bookings rising by more than 200% year-on-year, supported by demand for Northern Lights experiences and scenic rail routes.
Other destinations seeing rapid growth include the Maldives, Turkey, Spain and Mongolia. Australia attracted the largest number of travellers from China, with bookings increasing by more than 100% year-on-year, while New Zealand recorded close to 50% growth globally.
Prioritizing, Comfort and Quality
Longer holidays are also driving demand for package tour products. Popular options include an eight-day itinerary across Turkey covering Istanbul, Cappadocia, Konya and Ephesus; a five-day Los Angeles–Las Vegas–Grand Canyon tour in the United States; and a five-day Osaka–Kyoto journey in Japan, featuring Amanohashidate, Ine, Arashiyama and Nara.
At the same time, travellers are prioritizing comfort and quality. First-class flight bookings increased by 83% year-on-year, while business-class travel rose by 38%. Demand for five-star hotels climbed by 59% during the same period.
In Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam, five-star hotels account for more than 50% of accommodation bookings. When four-star properties are included, upper-tier hotels represent approximately three-quarters of all accommodation booked across these Southeast Asian markets.
During Lunar New Year, East Asia and Southeast Asia accounted for the largest share of overall bookings. In terms of growth, Vietnam, South Korea and Indonesia ranked among the fastest-growing markets.
Trips.com noted, several major cities recorded particularly strong increases in bookings. Seoul, Ho Chi Minh City and Bali each posted year-on-year growth of more than 70%. Kuala Lumpur achieved double-digit growth, supported by Lunar New Year events, while packaged tours in Singapore performed strongly, driven by family-oriented attractions.
China continues to attract strong inbound travel during the Lunar New Year period, with bookings from Europe and Oceania rising sharply. Bookings from the United Kingdom and New Zealand each increased by more than 150% year-on-year.
Major gateway cities such as Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou recorded the highest inbound volumes. Additional growth was noted in Xiamen and Shenzhen, with bookings up by 60% and 90% respectively. To support inbound travel, Trip.com is introducing dedicated arrival initiatives and transit experiences during the festive period.
Agoda Mega Sale
The top destinations in Asia for the upcoming Lunar New Year based on Agoda’s accommodation searches during this period are Tokyo, Bangkok, Taipei, Osaka and Seoul. These destinations are attracting the most interest from travelers during the festive period.
To help hoteliers and partners capture this seasonal demand, Agoda is offering a wide range of solutions, including the Agoda Mega Sale campaign, a series of four targeted sale events throughout the year to reach travelers at the height of booking interests. Partners can participate in Agoda’s first Mega Sale of 2026 from 10–28 February, to align their offers with seasonal travel trends and connect with guests as they plan their festive journeys.
“Cultural travel moments such as Lunar New Year drive travel demand in Asia, with regional travelers making up the majority of arrivals in key markets like Japan and Thailand,” said Andrew Smith, Senior Vice President, Supply at Agoda.
“What sets successful partners apart is their ability to act on real-time demand signals and adjust rates, packages, and visibility to meet the expectations of today’s mobile-first guests. Agoda helps connect partners to travelers with relevant campaigns like Mega Sale, ensuring they can engage guests when demand is strongest and make the most of key travel periods.
Overall, Lunar New Year 2026 travel is characterised by longer holidays, rising long-haul demand, increased interest in package itineraries and a clear shift toward premium travel choices across Asia and beyond.*BTNewspaper
