In Southeast Asia, Viet Nam, particularly the coastal localities of Da Nang, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc, stands out as the most popular choice.

Moon Yau Moon-yee, assistant general manager at Sunflower Travel Services and vice-chairman of the Tourism Industry Employees’ General Union, said the demand for eight- to nine-day tours over the holiday had risen significantly. Bookings to Yunnan province in mainland China have tripled compared to last year.

Moon noted that while Turkey, Morocco and Egypt have drawn interest from Hong Kong travellers, Asia remains the dominant draw. A favourable exchange rate and the widespread popularity of K-pop culture have made the RoK a leading destination for organised tour groups. Meanwhile, Japan has proven especially attractive to independent travellers, partly due to the weakness of the yen.

Fanny Yeung Shuk-fun, executive director of the Travel Industry Council, observed that although the longer holiday could support long-haul trips to Europe or North America, the majority of Hong Kong (China) residents continue to opt for nearer destinations. The number of outbound tour groups during the Lunar New Year period is expected to be on par with last year, at around 1,500 groups over the course of the holiday.

According to Yeung, more distant destinations are likely to be less popular than regional options such as the RoK and Viet Nam. She added that Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia continue to account for the bulk of travel bookings.

Hong Kong (China) authorities forecast approximately 11.38 million outbound passenger trips between February 14 and 23. Of these, 9.52 million departures are expected to pass through land boundary control points, significantly higher than the 7.34 million recorded during the same period last year.

Industry representatives have also expressed optimism about a tourism surge over the Lunar New Year holiday, driven not only by the extended break but also by a series of major events taking place in the city. The Hong Kong (China) Special Administrative Region Government has announced a range of festive activities, including a Lunar New Year parade on the first day of the new year, a fireworks display on the second day, horse racing at Sha Tin Racecourse on the third day, and the Lunar New Year Cup on the fifth day, aimed at encouraging visitors to extend their stay.