As the eagerly anticipated 2026 Spring Festival holiday season spans nine days, many Chinese travelers are crafting their travel itineraries for both domestic and international destinations.

This year's extended Spring Festival holiday season will run from Feb. 15 to 23.

Although the holiday season is still weeks away, there are already bustling scenes at a travel agency in eastern Beijing's Chaoyang District, with residents seen busy consulting and signing travel agreements, and popular travel routes have already entered the rush booking stage.

"I'm thinking of going to Spain and Portugal during the Spring Festival holiday season. A price range of around 20,000 to 30,000 yuan (2,868-4,302 U.S. dollars) is quite acceptable," said a customer.

Booking data shows that this year's outbound travel market is experiencing robust growth. Overall bookings for long-distance outbound trips to destinations such as France, Switzerland, Italy, the UK, Spain, and Portugal have surged by approximately 60 percent compared to the same period last year. Short-distance outbound travel has seen an even more dramatic increase, with a year-on-year growth rate of 160 percent, as destinations like Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, and the Maldives remain highly sought after.

Simultaneously, the extended holiday is also creating greater consumer opportunities within the domestic tourism market.

"I'm planning to go to northeast China, including Harbin, with my friends. I just saw a package that costs over 6,000 yuan (860 U.S. dollars) per person. With the extended holiday, we won't feel rushed and can take our time to explore other activities. It allows for a more relaxed travel experience," said a customer.

"Domestic tourism bookings have surged by 300 percent compared to the same period last year. It is obvious that domestic travel options, whether cultural experiences, ice and snow tourism, or warm-weather escapes, are emerging as the top choices for travelers this year," said Li Mengran, media and public relations manager of a tourism group.