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The Retail Hotspots for Chinese New Year Tourists

Brands can expect an influx of Chinese travellers to Bangkok, Seoul and Kuala Lumpur during the Spring Festival travel surge, as well as heavier traffic at gateway airports serving domestic holiday destinations in Hainan, Hebei and Shaanxi.

A visitor wearing traditional costume at the illuminated lantern festival at Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai, China on January 26, 2026. (Getty Images)

Gemma A. Williams

17 February 2026

BoF PROFESSIONAL

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China ushered in the Year of the Horse with a wave of festivities on Feb. 17, but the travel rush that began two weeks earlier will keep retailers busy until mid-March. The 40-day Chunyun season is one of the country’s peak travel periods, offering brands a prime opportunity to capture spending around Lunar New Year.

Where to Engage Shoppers This Chinese New Year

While travel to Europe remains muted, Chinese shoppers are flocking to Singapore, Thailand and other Southeast Asian destinations where fashion retailers are hoping Lunar New Year marketing investments will pay off.

Wealthy Chinese Flock to High-Octane Shopping Hubs

Luxury brands could see an uplift in destinations like Dubai, Singapore and Australia’s Gold Coast as China’s second outbound tourism wave gets underway.

Luxury’s China Priorities in the Year of the Snake

Even brands that had successful campaigns in the run-up to Chinese New Year will have to work hard to make gains in the China market where luxury sales are expected to flatline this year.

About the author

Gemma A. Williams

Gemma Williams is a contributing writer at The Business of Fashion. She is a writer and curator with an expertise in China's luxury and fashion markets who is based in London.

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