2026 Spring Festival Holiday Travel Safety and Health Advice

The 2026 Lunar New Year will commence on 17 February. In Mainland China, the official public holiday for the Spring Festival spans from 15 February to 23 February, the longest on record and expected to drive significant travel activity both within China and globally. During this time, China typically undergoes the world’s largest annual migration, as hundreds of millions of people move across regions for family reunions and holidays. The China State Railway Group is anticipating a record 539 million rail passenger journeys between 2 February and 13 March, a 5% year-on-year increase. This year’s travel season also coincides with recent Nipah virus cases in India, prompting increased health surveillance across parts of Asia. In this context, International SOS, the world’s leading security and health services company, advises organisations to adopt a proactive approach to safeguarding employee safety, health and wellbeing.

Yingyan Zhang, Senior Travel Risk Manager at International SOS China, comments:

As the Lunar New Year ushers in the world’s largest annual human migration, the travel risk environment becomes uniquely challenging for organisations. With exceptionally high travel volumes, extensive cross-regional movement and crowded transport hubs, employees are more exposed to security, safety and logistical risks. Adverse weather conditions during the winter season can also cause short-notice disruptions. During this period, it is essential for organisations to remind their employees to remain mindful of related risks and stay vigilant, particularly in busy public areas.

Dr Echo Li, Medical Director, Assistance Services at International SOS China, comments:

During the Spring Festival season, employees often face elevated health risks due to long-distance travel, crowded transit hubs and sudden changes in climate and routine. Beyond seasonal respiratory illnesses, fatigue, reduced immunity, and stress are also common at this time. With recent Nipah virus cases reported in India and several Asian countries reintroducing airport health screenings, employees should also remain aware of evolving regional health advisories and practice heightened vigilance when traveling.

Organisations should remind employees to take preventive measures and ensure they have access to reliable medical support while travelling. Providing clear pretravel guidance and accessible health resources helps employees stay well throughout the holiday and return to work safely.

Spring Festival 2026 Travel Readiness: Five Critical Steps to Keep Employees Safe and Healthy.

1. Provide Pre-Travel Health & Security Briefings: Equip employees with up-to-date guidance on destination-specific risks, including health advisories, potential crowd-surge scenarios, local safety conditions, and cultural considerations during the holiday period.
2. Strengthen 24/7 Medical and Security Support: Ensure employees have round-the-clock access to trusted medical and security assistance while traveling or working remotely. This includes telehealth, emergency contact lines, and verified information sources to counter misinformation during peak travel periods.
3. Promote Preventive Health Measures: Encourage employees to maintain good hygiene practices, manage fatigue, stay hydrated, and prepare for climate shifts, especially when traveling across regions. Provide guidance on respiratory illness prevention and remind employees to pack essential medications and health documentation.
4. Enhance Internal Communication and Escalation Protocols: Establish rapid response communication channels so employees can receive timely updates about travel disruptions, emerging public health concerns, or local security incidents. Ensure managers know how to escalate issues and support employees during emergencies.
5. Implement Robust Travel Risk and Itinerary Monitoring: Use technology, such as AI-enabled monitoring tools and travel tracking platforms, to maintain visibility of where employees are located, identify potential exposure to health or security risks, and coordinate assistance quickly if plans change.