1、TRAVEL TRENDS IN THE YEAR OF THE HORSEChinese Outbound Travel Trade SurveyDragon Trail ResearchJanuary 2026Photo:Leoon Liang,UnsplashDragon Trail ResearchChinese Outbound Travel Trade Survey3|WWW.DRAGONTRAIL.COM 2026The Year of the Fire Horse begins on 17 February 2026,with a longer-than-ever,nine-d
2、ay public holiday to celebrate the Chinese New Year.What can we expect for this peak season for Chinese outbound travel,and for the rest of 2026?To find out,Dragon Trail surveyed 315 travel agents selling outbound travel from mainland China.Our respondents were optimistic about the year to come,with
3、 87%expecting market growth.But most are predicting moderate rather than significant increases,and they admit that growth slowed in 2025.Under these market conditions,its more important than ever to pinpoint the traveler profiles,products,and destinations with the most potential,and use this knowled
4、ge to optimize your approach to working with the Chinese travel trade.Most of the biggest trends are ongoing:Independent travel continues to grow;tour group size continues to shrink.Trips are getting longer,with rising interest in in-depth exploration,niche travel themes,and fresh destinations inspi
5、red by social media.Chinese travel agents are under increased pressure to deliver personalized services and customizable products to their clients,and looking for the information and tools needed to put together food tours,visits to viral destinations,stays in special hotels,and local experiences.Ke
6、y demographic markets such as silver travelers,family groups,and Gen-Z each require unique approaches and offerings.Interest in ice and snow tourism also continues to grow,with travelers appetites for the northern lights,hot springs in the snow,and other wintry experiences bigger than ever.What can