Chinese pay a high price for foreign hotel rooms

Chinese travelers were on the top 10 list of those who paid the most for accommodation outside their own country, according to an industry report.

Outbound visitors from China ranked No 8 spending an average of 1,031 yuan ($166) for a hotel night abroad, according to the Hotel Price Index, a regular report on hotel rates in major destinations across the world released by Hotels.com. The report is based on bookings made on the site, and rates shown are those actually paid by customers per room per night, rather than advertised rates.

The index shows Chinese travelers spent more in more than half of the international destinations included in the report.

Travelers from Switzerland once again paid the most when traveling outside their own borders, with an average of 1,120 yuan per room night followed by the Argentineans at 1,089 yuan, making them the highest-paying Latin American nation. Travelers from the United States came third, paying an average room rate of 1,067 yuan.

Chinese globetrotters in 2013 chose Asia and the United States as their favorite destinations, with Europe coming third, according to the report.

Hong Kong maintained its position among the most popular destinations in Asia, but Taipei was the highest riser, up four places to ninth, according to the report.

According to the China Tourism Academy, China became the world's largest outbound tourism market during 2012. It expects Chinese citizens will make more than 100 million trips overseas for the first time during the period from July 2013 to June 2014.

China, which also became the largest outbound market in 2012 in terms of spending, with an expenditure of $102 billion, saw an increase of 28 percent in the first three quarters of 2013.

Online travel agency Ctrip.com International Ltd said outbound tourism has boosted its business. This year, travel volumes to popular overseas destinations are expected to double. Deepened traveling experiences are becoming mainstream among Chinese tourists going abroad. Cruises, island tours and self-driving have attracted more Chinese travelers, according to Ctrip.

Despite the buoyant outbound travel, there was a fall in the number of inbound visitors and overnight stays in China.

The Hotels.com data show that hotel guests paid an average 1 percent less for their accommodation in 2013, compared with 2012, at a national rate of 691 yuan.

Rising pollution levels in many cities in China because of a combination of weather conditions and the burning of coal have been cited as one of the reasons why last year saw a drop-off in the number of overseas travelers visiting the country, the report said.

Occupancy levels were relatively low, but many international hotel brands are still planning to expand their presence in the country.

InterContinental Hotels Group expects to open 100 new hotels in China in the next three years, with the aim of making the country one of the two largest profit earners for the hotel giant within 10 years, according to Kent Sun, chief development officer of IHG Greater China.

Hotel rates at domestic destinations included in the report experienced little volatility. Xi'an, the ancient Chinese capital that is close to the Terracotta Army archaeological site, registered the greatest fall in the average price paid by hotel guests, down 5 percent to 494 yuan, with southern China's largest city, Guangzhou, falling 4 percent to 703 yuan and Qingdao sliding 3 percent to 631 yuan.

On the other hand, Hangzhou, Shanghai and Chengdu rose to 670 yuan. Beijing was also among destinations seeing hotel rates heading higher or remaining steady.

Visitors from Mexico spent the most to stay in China, followed by those from the United States and then Brazilian travelers. Switzerland was the highest-paying European country, coming in at fourth place, while the Asian visitors who paid the most were Singaporeans at No 16.