TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A recent survey by yes123 job site reveals that approximately 90% of Taiwanese employees plan to give out red envelopes for the Lunar New Year, also known as the Year of the Dragon.
Meanwhile, the "New Year Plan and Chinese New Year Consumer Opportunity Survey" shows that only 27% plan to increase their red envelope budget, with an average amount of NT＄11,292.
The survey held from Feb. 8 to Feb. 14, shows workers plan to spend an average of NT＄31,093 on the seven-day holiday, channeling as much as NT＄288.7 billion into the economy.
Among Lunar New Year plans, getting together with friends and family for meals (54.2%), visiting hometown (53.3%), resting at home (50.8%), paying visits to friends and relatives' households (39.2%), and watching television or DVDs at home (37.8%) were popular activities.
Other popular activities include praying at temples for career luck, making travel arrangements, mobile and online gaming, job hunting online, and shopping.
Compared to the Year of the Rabbit in 2023, 49.7% of respondents said their red envelope budget would remain the same, 26.8% said it would be more, and 23.5% said it would be less.
Furthermore, 64% of workers plan to give gifts during the New Year, slightly down from 65.2% in 2023, with an average gift budget of NT＄4,977, lower than NT＄5,292 last year.