Thailand most searched Asia-Pacific destination for Lunar New Year

Thailand accounted for 27% of all flight searches in the region, followed by Japan (19%) and Singapore (18%), according to China-based company Sojern, which focuses on digital marketing for the travel industry.

In terms of cities, Bangkok topped the list with 22% of all searches, followed by Tokyo (15%), Manila (9%), Phuket (7%) and Taipei (7%), according to Sojern.

The Lunar New Year, known as Tet in Vietnam, is one of the most important holidays in Asian culture. It begins on January 22 this year.

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed all relevant government agencies to prepare to welcome foreign tourists during the holiday and ensure their safety.

Also according to data from Chinese-language travel service platform Ctrip, Thailand will be a top destination for Chinese tourists during the Chinese New Year holiday.

Between December 27 and January 1, inbound travel bookings from Thailand to mainland China increased by 101% year-on-year, according to Ctrip.

Thailand received 11 million foreign visitors last year, making its tourism industry among the fastest to recover in Southeast Asia following the pandemic.

The Thai government is targeting 25 million foreign arrivals this year.