China’s online travel market was worth £100 million in 2006, up 82% from 2005, according to a report by Shanghai-based iResearch.
Online travel services catered for approximately 2.75 million hotel, airline and other travel service bookings last year, up 72% from the year before.
Analysts at iResearch said the number of online travel customers would more than double to 5.7 million in 2008, and hit about nine million by 2010.
Due to online marketing, a boom in the tourism industry and increased disposable income, China’s online travel sector was expected to be worth £424 million by 2010, the report said.