Airbnb recently released its “2026 Spring Festival Outbound Travel Trends” report. Data shows that the upcoming “longest Spring Festival holiday on record” has driven overseas travel searches by Chinese travelers to nearly double last year's levels. Flexible “combined leave and off-peak travel” has become the mainstream trend, with over 70% of overseas accommodation searches during the Spring Festival concentrated outside the 9-day statutory holiday period. New Zealand, Norway, Thailand, Italy, and Australia rank among the top ten most searched destinations for the Spring Festival, with New Zealand and Norway seeing particularly surging popularity.
The report indicates that embracing nature and enjoying outdoor activities are becoming the mainstream approach to vacationing in 2026. Among popular destinations, search interest for New Zealand and Norway continues to surge, reflecting Chinese travelers' shift from niche exploration toward deeper nature experiences. New Zealand stands out as the most favored destination, offering diverse activities that cater to both active and tranquil pursuits. Queenstown, dubbed the “Adventure Capital of the World,” topped the list of globally searched cities, while Christchurch and Hanmer Springs proved more popular among family travelers.
Ranking second on the list, Norway continues to draw visitors with its enchanting winter wonders like the Northern Lights and fjords. Traditional hotspots Tromsø and the Lofoten Islands remain popular, while Svalbard, deep within the Arctic Circle, saw a nearly 50-fold surge in Lunar New Year searches—a particularly striking performance.
Meanwhile, Southern Europe's coastlines emerged as dark horses, leading in growth rates. Coastal destinations like Naples and Sardinia in southern Italy, along with Spain's Costa Brava and Costa del Sol, have seen popularity growth ranging from several to dozens of times higher, reflecting Chinese travelers' strong desire for winter sunshine and seaside vacations. The report also notes that Generation Z is leading this “back-to-nature” travel trend with remarkable initiative.
Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Congxiao
Editor Ⅱ: Bao Gang
Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong
