Central Asia Rises as New Year Hotspot for Chinese Tourists

Central Asia emerged as one of the most popular travel destinations for Chinese tourists during the New Year holidays from January 1 to 3.

According to a report by the Qunar travel platform, all of the top ten outbound destinations chosen by Chinese travelers during the holiday period were located in Asia, with Seoul ranking first, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

The data highlights a clear preference for regional travel as Chinese tourists increasingly opt for nearby destinations.

Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Georgia stood out for their strong growth, as flight bookings to these countries doubled compared to the same period last year. Industry experts link this surge primarily to the introduction of visa-free travel regimes for Chinese citizens, making Central Asia more accessible and attractive.

At the same time, inbound tourism to China also saw a sharp rise. The southern island province of Hainan drew increased interest following the launch of an “independent customs operations” regime in December, a move that significantly boosted the local tourism market.

Sanya and Haikou led the growth in bookings among foreign visitors, with arrivals to Sanya increasing fivefold and to Haikou tripling. Most international tourists visiting Hainan in early January arrived from Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, Australia and Russia, underscoring the province’s growing appeal as a regional travel hub.