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Busy airport terminal in China illustrating the 2026 travel boom and the shift away from Japan.
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2026 China Outbound Travel Market: 175M Trips Expected as Japan Visits Plunge

1 min readSource

The 2026 China outbound travel market is forecast to reach 175M trips, though a political dispute with Japan could trigger a massive 50% decline in visitors to the country.

The wallets are open, but the borders are closing. China's outbound travel is set for a record-breaking 2026, yet a political ice age is freezing out Japan.

2026 China Outbound Travel Market: Growth Amid Global Friction

Mainland Chinese travelers are expected to take between 165 million and 175 million cross-border trips in 2026. That's a significant jump from the estimated 155 million trips recorded last year. Analysts suggest this surge is fueled by a stronger Yuan and the rapid expansion of visa-free policies for Chinese nationals across various global destinations.

The Japan Slump: A 50% Predicted Drop

It's not all good news for everyone in the region. Visits to Japan could plummet by nearly 50 per cent as political tensions between Beijing and Tokyo hit a boiling point. Industry insiders warn that while the overall market is expanding, individual destinations remain highly vulnerable to geopolitical fallout.

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