During the 2026 Lunar New Year holiday from February 15 to 23, Thailand emerged as the top destination for Chinese outbound travelers, attracting about 250,000 visitors, an increase of 60,000 from the previous year. This surge followed flight restrictions and cancellations to Japan, which saw Chinese arrivals drop to 130,000, half the 260,000 from last year. The shift stemmed from ongoing political tensions between China and Japan.
The Lunar New Year holiday in 2026, spanning nine days from February 15 to 23, marked a significant redirection in Chinese travel plans. According to reports, approximately 250,000 Chinese tourists visited Thailand, surpassing the Thai government's forecast of 241,000 for the period February 13-22. This represented a 60,000 increase from the same holiday last year, despite prior concerns over safety issues in Southeast Asia.
The primary catalyst was disruptions in travel to Japan, including flight restrictions and cancellations between February 15 and 23. These issues led many Chinese travelers, who had initially planned trips to Japan, to opt for nearby alternatives like Thailand. As a result, Japan received only 130,000 Chinese visitors, down from 260,000 the previous year. The decline was attributed to prolonged Sino-Japanese tensions, sparked by Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae's November 2025 remarks on potential intervention in a Taiwan emergency. Chinese authorities issued travel warnings to Japan, and Chinese airlines canceled thousands of flights. Aviation data showed China-Japan air seating capacity fell to 125,717 seats last week, compared to 192,262 in early December the prior year.
In Phuket, a key Thai destination, Chinese tourists extended their stays, contributing an estimated 600 million baht to local tourism revenue. This trend reflected broader preferences for regional destinations amid uncertainties in long-haul travel. Other popular spots for Chinese travelers during the holiday included Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore, with Southeast Asian countries, Hong Kong, and Macau favored for flights under four hours from mainland China.
Phuket's appeal, with its beaches and accessibility, benefited from the shift, as tourists immersed themselves in longer visits rather than short getaways. Overall, Phuket welcomed 14.1 million visitors in the past year, generating 546 billion baht in revenue. The holiday underscored the resilience of regional tourism, with Thailand capitalizing on the pivot away from Japan.