Singapore hotel rooms most expensive in Asia-survey

Wednesday, 20 October 2010 00:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

(Reuters) - Singapore is the most expensive city in the Asia-Pacific region for hotel rooms, according to a survey of hotel prices in major destinations across the world.

A Singapore hotel room cost an average of S$230 per night in the second quarter this year, up 22 percent from the same period last year, according to a survey by online hotel booking operator Hotels.com.

Tokyo was the second-most expensive at $156.80 per night, but was down 6 percent year-on-year, while Sydney was the third at $148.50 and up 16 percent.

“We are definitely on a trend up in Asia. When you have more money, travelling quickly becomes an interest and that is going to be reflected in prices in the near future,” Johan Svanstrom, Hotels.com managing director for the Asia-Pacific region, said in an interview.

“The majority of the Asians travel within Asia. China is clearly going to be a very big driving factor for hotels anywhere in Asia,” he added.

Svanstrom cited a recent report by the China Tourism Academy which estimated that 54 million Chinese travellers would go abroad this year.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, this number would nearly double to 100 million by 2020.