As we welcome the Year of the Rat and celebrate Chinese New Year on Saturday 25th January, Beijing will be lit up with lights and fireworks in celebration. With so many international festivities available and all four corners of the globe being more accessible than ever before, many holidaymakers in the UK will be using their first pay of 2020 as the motivation they need to book a holiday abroad.
According to WeSwap’s nationally representative research conducted from a sample of over 2,000 UK adults, 17% of millennial travellers will look out for cultural holidays like Chinese New Year when planning their holidays, coinciding their trips with the festivities. In light of this, WeSwap is ready to reveal the New Year’s celebrations across the world that holidaymakers can still be a part of in 2020:
- 25th January 2020: Chinese New Year
- Chinese New Year is a week-long celebration involving parades, street parties and endless fireworks. In Beijing, parks and public places will be decorated in bright colours and dragon dances will weave through city streets.
- 14th-16th April 2020: Choul Chnam Thmey – Cambodian New Year
- Most of the cities in Cambodia are empty during these festivities as people return to their hometowns to celebrate with friends and family. However, places like the temple of War Phnom are buzzing with activity. With locals playing traditional games and throw talcum powder on each other. Siem Reap also hosts exhibits of cultural arts and numerous street parties.
- New Year is celebrated across many other Asian countries during this period, such as Sri Lanka, Bali and parts of India.
- 11th September 2020: Enkutatash – Ethiopian New Year
- In Ethiopia, the end of the rainy season leaves behind thousands and thousands of newly sprouted yellow daisies. The New Year’s celebrations involve the exchange of flowers, eating and drinking.
Rob Stross, CMO of WeSwap, commented on the research and international New Year’s for Brits to experience: “The experience economy is going from strength to strength, and our research shows that when planning their holidays, British holidaymakers’ main concerns are creating long-lasting memories. It seems that Brits are more focused on taking part in activities beyond the traditional excursions, looking to immerse themselves in a large range of cultural experiences. By allocating more of their holiday budgets to spending money, holidaymakers are sending a message to travel agents and providers alike that they aren’t concerned with luxury stays in all-inclusive resorts. Instead, they are looking for the cheapest providers so that they and their loved ones can have the best experience while there, eating in great restaurants, unique day-trips and memorable experiences.”
