1、THE VALUE OF TRAVEL IN A CHANGING WORLDChinese Traveler Sentiment ReportDragon Trail ResearchApril 2026Photo:Charlie Jiang,Unsplash2Dragon Trail ResearchChinese Traveler Sentiment Report3|WWW.DRAGONTRAIL.COM 2026Introduction:In a changing world,travel still offers respite from the everyday,through f
2、resh experiences,landscapes,and culturesTiana TianMarket Research AnalystJanice MengMarket Research AnalystSienna Parulis-CookDirector of Marketing and CommunicationsMuch has changed in the world since Dragon Trails last Chinese Traveler Sentiment Report,published in September 2025.Several developme
3、nts in particular have impacted Chinese outbound tourism.The fallout from a diplomatic incident in November 2025 has halved flight capacity from China to Japan which had been riding high as the top international destination for Chinese travelers for some time.Tourism to the Middle East a rapidly gro
4、wing new hotspot suddenly came to a standstill in March 2026 after the outbreak of war in the region.How are Chinese consumers reacting to these events?Our latest Chinese TravelerSentiment Survey,conducted between 16-20 March 2026,with 1,038 respondents,offers answers.Outbound travel intention has s
5、oftened compared to last year,but it remains higher than in 2024.Trends like longer trips,increased spending on experiences,and the substantial influence of Chinese social media platforms like RedNote on outbound travel inspiration and planning are all still going strong.The Iran war has already had
6、 a major impact on Chinese travelers plans,and safety perceptions for Gulf countries have fallen significantly.Japan,usually perceived as a relatively“safe”travel destination by Chinese consumers,has dropped to its lowest safety rating since China lifted COVID-era restrictions on international trave