By Liu Jiawen, compiled and reported
Travelers planning to go abroad during next year’s Chinese New Year holiday should brace for higher expenses. The Republic of China Travel Quality Assurance Association has released reference prices for tour packages from January to March 2012. Due to factors such as rising oil prices and currency exchange rates, many tour routes have seen price increases. Popular routes to Southeast Asia, mainland China, Europe, and Australasia have seen rises of about 1,000 to 12,000 yuan compared to last year, while Japan tour prices have dropped by 3,000 to 5,000 yuan. Prices for the U.S. and Canada routes remain unchanged.
Due to factors such as exchange rates and higher airfares, long-haul European tours have seen the biggest price hikes, with an average increase of about 6,000 to 12,000 yuan. (Photo provided by Mook Editorial Department)
With next year’s winter vacation starting earlier and the nine-day Chinese New Year break, the number of people planning overseas trips has not been affected by the economic climate—in fact, it has increased, showing strong demand in the travel market. Du Peiyu, deputy convener of the Supervisory Committee, said: “Visa-free European itineraries are the most popular during the Chinese New Year period, with bookings already at 80–90%. Tour prices have risen by about 6,000 to 12,000 yuan, and some itineraries may even see increases of 40,000 to 50,000 yuan.” In Southeast Asia, popular destinations such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore have seen price hikes of 3,000 to 6,000 yuan. Mainland China routes have risen by about 2,000 to 8,000 yuan, and Australasia routes have also increased by around 11,000 yuan.
During the winter vacation, tour prices for most routes have increased, but Japan tours have dropped by about 3,000 to 5,000 yuan compared to last year. (Photo provided by Mook Editorial Department)
Budget-conscious travelers might want to consider Japan or the U.S. and Canada. For Japan tours, airfare hikes during the winter vacation were not as steep as last year, resulting in an overall price drop of about 3,000 to 5,000 yuan for the New Year and winter vacation period. U.S. and Canada tour prices during the Chinese New Year period remain unchanged compared to last year, though western Canada tours have dropped by 3,000 to 5,000 yuan due to lower ticket prices. With travel demand concentrated during the holiday period, flights are often hard to come by, and prices vary greatly between peak and off-peak times. It is advisable for those planning to travel abroad to plan ahead.