Asian countries were the top destinations for Chinese travelers during this year's nine-day Spring Festival holiday, with Thailand being the most popular.

Li Yang, 43, spent the holiday with his wife and daughter on Thailand's Phuket island. Despite noticeably higher prices compared to before the pandemic, Li said Phuket is still a top choice for Chinese families for its well-known beaches, vibrant nightlife and convenient direct flights.

"Phuket is not very far from China, and you can enjoy diverse indoor and outdoor activities, which is great enough for an overseas trip in winter," he said.

Data released on Monday by online travel platform Qunar showed Thailand regaining its position as the most popular destination for Chinese tourists during the Feb 15-23 holiday period.

The top-ranked spots were primarily in Asia, favored for their short flight distances, visa-friendly policies and pleasant temperatures, the platform said.

The 10 leading destinations included Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Singapore, Seoul and Sydney.

Meanwhile, Chinese arrivals in Japan have continued to decline, pushing the country out of the top 10 destinations. Data released by the Japan National Tourism Organization on Feb 18 showed Chinese visitors falling more than 60 percent year-on-year in January, with the number expected to remain low in February.

Last year, Thailand saw Chinese arrivals drop by nearly 30 percent to around 4.5 million, amid a strong baht, safety concerns linked to reported scams and abductions, and competition from neighboring countries such as Vietnam.

However, for this year, the Tourism Council of Thailand is targeting 34 million international visitors, up 3.1 percent from 2025, with projected revenue of 1.64 trillion baht ($52.8 billion).

Early signs of recovery have emerged. The Association of Thai Travel Agents said the daily average of Chinese arrivals during Spring Festival rose to nearly 30,000 — double the usual level — underscoring improved travel sentiment.

Data from Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports further revealed that more than 5 million international tourists arrived between Jan 1 and Feb 15, with China being the largest source market.

Natthriya Thaweevong, the ministry's permanent secretary, said in a news release that robust tourism during the Spring Festival holiday significantly boosted visitor numbers from regional markets, particularly China.

South Korean retailers

A similar uptick was observed in South Korea, where the retail industry is also experiencing a boom, with the market closely monitoring whether the Chinese New Year travel rush can lead to increased consumption throughout the year.

At Lotte Department Store, sales to Chinese customers soared 260 percent year-on-year between Feb 13 and 18, setting a record for the Spring Festival period, The Dong-A Ilbo newspaper reported, citing company data.

Shinsegae Department Store reported a 416 percent increase in sales at its main branch from Feb 14 to 18, while The Hyundai Seoul saw a 210 percent sales jump.

Analysts believe the increased interest of Chinese travelers in South Korea during the holiday was partly linked to continuing tensions between China and Japan following erroneous remarks on Taiwan by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Kim Soo-hyun, a researcher at DS Investment & Securities, said the rising number of Chinese tourists could have a positive effect on sales of South Korean consumer goods, such as cosmetics and apparel.