The most recent development in the travel trends for the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday is a significant increase in outbound tourism, particularly to destinations like Russia, Thailand, and Australia, while Japan has seen a decline in popularity. According to Business Recorder, this year's holiday is extended to nine days, starting February 15, which is expected to result in a record 9.5 billion passenger trips over a 40-day travel rush, up from 9.02 billion last year. Zhou Weihong from Spring Tour highlighted, 'Thailand has returned to being the top outbound destination thanks to its weather, when most parts of China remain cold.' This sentiment is echoed across multiple sources, including AsiaOne and Hindustan Times, which also note that Russia's decision to waive visas for Chinese tourists has led to a doubling of bookings compared to last year.