Chinese Outbound Travel Trade Survey published by Dragon Trail Research on July 29, 2026, surveying over 300 Chinese travel agents, reveals that 78% of agents saw an overall increase in outbound demand in the first half of 2026 compared to 2025, with 70% stating that current summer demand has outpaced last year’s levels.
Dragon Trail analyst Janice Meng noted that these results highlight the market’s resilience, as travel agents report continued growth despite reduced flight capacity, geopolitical tensions, and rising travel costs.
This expansion is heavily driven by changing demographics and evolving product preferences.
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Travelers queue at a ticket station in Beijing, China. Photo by Zhang Kaiyv via Pexels |
Young travelers aged 18 to 35 emerged as the fastest-growing segment, cited by 47% of agents.
At the same time, traditional large-scale package tours are losing ground to more personalized options.
Small-group tours have become the fastest-growing category at 37%, followed closely by customized and luxury travel at 33%, while traditional group tours lagged behind at 23%.
The survey named Thailand the top-selling international destination for summer 2026 and the single most noteworthy outbound destination of the year, securing 19% of trade responses.
Thailand placed ahead of Japan (16%), South Korea (13%), Singapore and the United States (7% each).
The trade survey is directly backed by official arrival figures from Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
Between Jan. 1 and Aug. 1, 2026, Thailand welcomed more than 3 million Chinese visitors.
This puts China far ahead of second-placed Malaysia (2,373,537 visitors) and third-placed India (1,376,433 visitors).
A combination of policy, infrastructure, and geographical advantages explains why Thailand leads the market.
According to an analysis by China Tourist Agency, a digital marketing and travel market intelligence firm, Thailand’s permanent visa exemption for Chinese visitors was implemented in 2023.
This allows travelers to plan spontaneous trips without the delays of visa applications required by competing destinations like Japan or South Korea.
Proximity and affordability further enhance Thailand’s appeal.
Routes from China to Thailand have short flight durations, such as 4.5 hours from Shanghai to Bangkok or under 3 hours from Chengdu to Chiang Mai, making Thailand ideal for short holidays.
Furthermore, natural landscapes, strong value for money, and seamless local infrastructure, including Chinese-language support and widespread Alipay and WeChat Pay acceptance, serve as decisive factors making Thailand the top choice for Chinese travelers in 2026.