Lunar New Year (LNY) is a 15-day celebration in China and within Chinese communities worldwide. It begins with the new moon between January 21 and February 20, marking the start of the “Spring Festival.” LNY continues until the following full moon.

The timing of this holiday is tied to the lunar calendar and since the mid-1990s, workers in China have been granted seven consecutive days off to celebrate. As a result, this break often leads to business and factory shutdowns for an extended period of a few weeks.

In 2025, the Lunar New Year will begin on Wednesday, January 29th.

Impact on Hotel FF&E Production

For hoteliers, LNY can be problematic because it significantly delays FF&E production from this region. Most factories in China halt operations and shipping from major Chinese ports slows down or stops altogether. This means any FF&E production not completed and shipped by early January may not resume until late February or early March when factories and ports return to capacity.

Given the ongoing challenges in the global supply chain, including longer lead times and rising costs, hoteliers should be prepared for potential delays in FF&E orders during the first and second quarters of 2025. This makes planning ahead more crucial than ever!

Staying Ahead of the Delays

At Innvision, we work closely with our vendor partners to stay informed about cutoff dates for shipping orders before the Lunar New Year shutdown so we can accommodate our clients’ project schedules. A few manufacturers have warned Innvision that early October is their LNY cutoff date, while others are telling Innvision that it’s mid or late October. The purchase order cutoff date is in November for other producers.

It’s essential for hoteliers to begin and maintain open communication with procurement specialists and vendors. Even if you don’t have finished products shipping directly from China, components in your FF&E items manufactured in the U.S. likely originate there.

Missing suppliers’ order placement deadlines could result in significant delays, with products not leaving China until March or later. LNY could also mean delivery itself takes longer, such as five to seven weeks for products to reach their destination due to shipping and customs processing.

Advice for Hoteliers

We at Innvision advise our clients and prospects to plan ahead, be proactive, and select your procurement team carefully. Professional procurement specialists on our team will constantly communicate with vendors and let clients know to avoid surprises and ensure they don’t miss the cutoff date for shipping before the Lunar New Year shutdown. We also keep you informed and provide support every step of the way during your hotel project.

If you’d like a trusted advisor who can help make your next hotel project a success, connect with us!