2026 Public Holidays in APAC: Production Planning Guide

If your business relies on promotional products, seasonal gift sets, or custom packaging manufactured in Asia, understanding APAC holiday schedules is essential. Even though you may not work directly with factories, your promotional product agency does. These holiday periods affect production capacity, sampling speed, shipping windows, and overall lead times.

This 2026 APAC holiday guide helps business owners, marketers, and procurement teams plan campaigns more effectively, avoiding delays, unexpected rush fees, and missed launch dates.

ODM operates across China and Vietnam, where many of the region’s top factories are located. Our on-the-ground teams use these holiday timelines to proactively manage production for global brands, ensuring every project stays on track despite seasonal closures.

Why APAC Holidays Matter to Your Campaign

Many brands assume holiday disruptions matter only to factory managers. But in reality, they directly influence:

• When your promotional items can be produced

• How quickly are samples approved

• Whether your campaign launches on schedule

• Shipping cut-offs for ocean and air freight

• Price fluctuations during peak logistics windows

• Availability of materials and manpower

And because you work through a promotional product agency (not the factory), you only feel the outcome and not the cause.

Understanding these dates helps you brief earlier, approve faster, and avoid delays.

2026 Public Holidays in APAC Countries

Please note that these are the dates for ODM Group companies in the region, especially in China, Vietnam, and Hong Kong, where we established our operations. Also, many companies like ours take a longer holiday for National Day, but then work on Saturday/Sunday afterwards.

For some dates, the schedule was originally adjusted for government holidays, and we had more public holidays on weekdays, requiring us to work over the weekends. We are flexible and have adjusted our schedule to be more available to our clients.

2026

• 01 Jan  –  New Year Holiday
• 15 Feb to 23 Feb  –  Lunar New Year / Spring Festival
• 08 Mar  – International Women’s Day
• 04 Apr to 06 Apr  –  Qing Ming Festival
• 01 May to 05 May  – Labour Day
• 19 Jun –  Dragon Boat Festival
• 25 Sept to 27 Sept – Mid-Autumn Festival
• 01 Oct to 07 Oct –  National Day Golden Week

The Chinese New Year is one of China’s biggest and most significant holidays. During this season, most factory workers travel back to their hometowns, primarily in remote, rural areas of this vast country, to celebrate with their loved ones. This is why factory shutdowns are expected before the holiday begins.

Learn more about how this can affect your business through this blog:

2026

• 01 Jan  –  New Year Holiday
• 14 Feb to 22 Feb  –  Lunar New Year / Tet Holiday
• 26 Apr  –  Hung Kings Commemoration Holiday
• 30 Apr  –  Reunification Day
• 01 May  –  Labour Day
• 02 Sep  –  National Day

Tet is Vietnam’s biggest and most important holiday of the year. Also called the “Spring Festival”, Tet is the Vietnamese New Year, and Vietnamese people enjoy a 5-day national public holiday. The Vietnamese New Year is celebrated nationwide, meaning businesses will close.

Here’s how Tet will affect your business if you are sourcing your promotional products in Vietnam:

2026

• 01 Jan  –  New Year’s Day
• 16 Feb to 20 Feb  –  Chinese New Year
• 05 Apr  –  Ching Ming Festival
• 29 Mar  –  Good Friday
• 03 April   –  Black Saturday
• 05 Apr  –  Qing Ming Festival
• 06 Apr  –  Easter Monday
• 01 May  –  Labor day
• 24 May  –  Buddha’s Birthday
• 19 Jun  –  Tuen Ng / Dragon Boat Festival
• 01 Jul  –  HK Special Administrative, Region Establishment Day
• 26 Sep   –  Day after Mid Autumn Festival
• 01 Oct  –  National day
• 18 Oct  –  Chung Yeung Festival
• 25 Dec to 26 Dec –  Christmas Holiday

2026

• 01 Jan  –  New Year’s Day
• 17 Feb  –  Lunar New Year
• 19 March  –  Eidul Fitr
• 02 Apr –  Maundy Thursday
• 03 Apr  –  Good Friday
• 04 Apr  –  Black Saturday
• 09 Apr  –  Day of Valor
• 01 May  –  Labor Day
• 26 May  –  Eidul Adha
• 12 Jun  –  Independence Day
• 26 Aug  –  National Heroes Day
• 01 Nov to 02 Nov  –  All Saints Day / All Souls Day
• 30 Nov  –  Bonifacio Day
• 08 Dec  –  Immaculate Conception
• 24 Dec to 25 Dec  –  Christmas Holiday
• 30 Dec  –  Rizal Day
• 31 Dec  –  New Year’s Eve

2026

• 26 Jan  –  Republic Day
• 15 Feb  –  Maha Shivaratri
• 04 Mar  –  Holi
• 09 Mar  –  Idul Fitr
• 26 Mar  –  Ram Navami
• 03 Apr  –  Good Friday
• 14 Apr  –  Dr Ambedkar Jayanti
• 27 May  –  Bakrid / Eid al Adha
• 26 Jul  –  Muharram
• 15 Aug –  Independence Day
• 25 Aug  –  Eid e Milad
• 04 Sep  –  Janmashtami
• 02 Oct  –  Gandhi Jayanti
• 20 Oct  –  Vijaya Dashami
• 08 Nov  –  Diwali
• 24 Nov  –  Guru Nanak Jayanti
• 25 Dec  –  Christmas Day

2026

• 01 Jan  –  New Year’s Day
• 16 Jan  –  Isra Mi’raj
• 16 Feb to 17 Feb  –  Lunar New Year
• 19 Mar  –  Bali Hindu New Year
• 20 Mar  –  Lebaran
• 21 Mar to 22 Mar  –  Hari Raya Idul Fitri
• 03 Apr  –  Good Friday
• 11 Apr to 15 Apr  –  Leberan
• 01 May  –  Labor Day
• 14 May  –  Ascension Day
• 31 May  –  Waisak Day
• 01 Jun  –  Pancasila Day
• 27 May  –  Idul Adha
• 16 Jul  –  Islamic New Year
• 17 Aug  –  Independence Day
• 25 Aug –  Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday
• 25 Dec –  Christmas Holiday

2026

• 01 Jan  –  New Year’s Day
• 12 Jan  –  Coming of Age Day
• 11 Feb  –  National Foundation Day
• 23 Feb  –  The Emperor’s Birthday
• 20 Mar  –  Vernal Equinox Day
• 29 Apr  –  Showa Day
• 03 May  –  Constitution Memorial Day
• 04 May  –  Greenery Day
• 05 May –  Children’s Day
• 20 Jul  –  Marine Day
• 11 Aug  –  Mountain Day
• 21 Sep  –  Respect for the Aged Day
• 23 Sep  –  Autumnal Equinox Day
• 12 Oct  –  Sports Day
• 03 Nov –  Culture Day
• 23 Nov  –  Labor Thanksgiving Day

2026

• 01 Jan  –  New Year’s Day
• 17 Feb to 18 Feb  –  Lunar New Year
• 07 Mar  –  Nuzul Al-Quran
• 19 Mar to 20 Mar  –  Hari Raya Aidilfitri
• 01 May  –  Labor Day
• 27 May  –  Hari Raya Haji
• 31 May  –  Wesak Day
• 01 Jun  –  Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s birthday
• 16 June to 17 June  –  Awal Muharram
• 25 Aug –  Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday
• 31 Aug  –  Merdeka Day
• 16 Sep  –  Malaysia Day
• 08 Nov  –  Deepavali
• 25 Dec  –  Christmas Day

2026

• 01 Jan  –  New Year’s Day
• 16 Feb to 18 Feb  –  Seollal
• 01 Mar  –  March 1st Movement Day
• 05 May  –  Children’s Day
• 24 May  –  Buddha’s Birthday
• 06 Jun  –   Memorial Day
• 15 Aug  –  National Liberation Day
• 25 Sep  –  Chuseok
• 03 Oct  –  National Foundation Day
• 09 Oct  –  Hangeul Day
• 25 Dec  –  Christmas Day

2026

• 01 Jan  –  New Year’s Day
• 01 Jan  –  Republic Day
• 17 Feb to 22 Feb  –  Lunar New Year
• 28 Feb  –  228 Peace Memorial Day
• 04 Apr to 05 Apr  –  Children’s Day
• 05 Apr  –  Qing Ming Festival
• 01 May  –  Labor Day
• 19 Jun  –  Dragon Boat Festival
• 25 Sep  –  Mid-Autumn Festival
• 10 Oct  –  ROC National Day

2026 

• 01 Jan  –  New Year’s Day
• 03 Mar  –  Makha Bucha
• 06 Apr  –  Chakri Day
• 13 Apr to 16 Apr  –  Songkran Festival
• 01 May  –  Labor Day
• 04 May  –  Coronation of King Vajiralongkorn
• 11 May  –  Royal Ploughing Ceremony
•  01 Jun –  Visakha Bucha Day
• 03 Jun  –  Queen Suthida’s Birthday
• 29 Jul   –  Asahna Bucha
• 28 Jul   –  King Vajiralongkorn’s Birthday
• 12 Aug  –  H.M Queen Mother’s Birthday
• 13 Oct –  Passing of His Majesty the Late King
• 23 Oct  –  Chulalongkorn Memorial Day
• 05 Dec  –  His Majesty the Late King’s Birthday
• 10 Dec  –  Constitution Day
• 25 Dec  –  Christmas Day
• 31 Dec  –  New Year’s Eve

We’ve got holidays all year round, and it is undoubtedly crucial to keep track of them. Here are more dates you can look forward to as we finish off 2025 and progress into 2026!

How These Holidays Affect Your Promotional Product Timeline

Even short closures can create major delays because factories must:

1. Stop receiving material

2. Pause sampling and tooling

3. Halt manufacturing

4. Freeze QC scheduling

5. Rush to clear backlogs post-holiday

For marketers, this translates into:

• Longer mass-production lead times

• Delayed campaign launches

• Narrower sampling windows

• Earlier artwork lock-ins

• Higher freight cost near peak weeks

• Greater risk of stockouts for retail promotions

These challenges are preventable, but only with early planning.

Planning Recommendations for Businesses & Marketers

1. Brief early, even if the campaign is months away

Working ahead gives ODM time to prototype, test materials, and adjust for holiday slowdowns.

2. Approve designs and samples before year-end 2025

This is especially important for anything needed in Q1–Q2 2026.

3. Add 2–3 weeks of buffer around CNY/Tet and Golden Week

Shipping and QC slots fill quickly.

4. For new product development, start 3–4 months ahead

Custom molds, tooling, and engineering require longer timelines.

5. Use your promotional product agency as a strategic planner

ODM manages all:

• Factory coordination

• Production timelines

• QC scheduling

• Logistics and freight planning

• Holiday-related risk management

You don’t need to chase factories; ODM handles it for you.

Discover strategies to prepare your business in 2026

The New Year opens a lot of business opportunities. Therefore, your promotional plan and marketing promotion schedule should be plotted in advance to keep good fortune coming. Read here:

 Due to this widespread celebration, many Chinese businesses, including factories, close their operations for an extended period. This year, the festivities will begin on February 17, and many factories often shut down for 7 to 14 days, with some closing even longer.

With events happening all year round, you should make sure to plot your calendar accordingly. This guide will cover everything you need to know about event marketing planning PLUS the important dates you should look out for in the following months!

If you want your business to stay relevant, it’s important to know what’s working now and what’s coming next. Below are the top 2026 marketing trends that are already shaping how brands connect, sell, and grow. 

In this guide, we’ll explore creative horse-themed merchandise ideas, from practical items like mugs and notebooks to collectible figurines and plush toys, that can help your brand stand out this New Year.

Final Thoughts

APAC holidays create predictable but significant disruptions across the manufacturing supply chain. For business owners and marketers who rely on promotional products, understanding these dates helps prevent delays, missed opportunities, and strained production schedules.

You may not deal directly with factories, but your agency does, and your timeline depends on how early planning begins.

ODM’s teams in China and Vietnam monitor factory shutdowns, peak shipping periods, and holiday schedules throughout the year. This ensures every project follows a realistic timeline and reaches your target markets on schedule.

Explore some gift ideas for New Year campaigns:

Frequently Asked Questions

How early should we place orders to avoid delays around Chinese New Year and Tet 2026?

For any project needed between January and April 2026, we recommend finalizing designs, approving samples, and issuing POs by November–December 2025. Factories close for 2–4 weeks during CNY/Tet and often need additional time to restart operations afterward.

Will shipping also be affected by these holidays?

Yes. Ports experience congestion before and after all major holidays — especially Chinese New Year, Golden Week, Songkran, and Eid periods. This can lead to longer transit times and temporary increases in freight costs.

What happens if our campaign timeline overlaps with a major APAC holiday?

Your agency will adjust production timelines, but you should expect longer lead times. Sampling may pause, revisions may take longer, and QC scheduling may be limited.

Can production continue if the holiday only lasts 1–2 days?

Small holidays (like Qingming or Labour Day) usually cause short pauses, but factories often operate at reduced capacity. The bigger challenge is that even brief holidays overload production schedules, shifting other clients’ timelines around.