Plan your 2008 travel to Beijing in advance to avoid disappointment

Travel retailer Flight Centre is warning travellers to book holidays to China well in advance of next years Beijing Olympics in August (8-24) and avoid the months running up to the games, unless they want to pay a premium.

Many hotels are increasing their prices from as early as April next year and during the Olympic Games some hotels in Beijing are insisting on 20 night minimum stays and charging upwards of £500 a night.

Brent Novak, head of marketing at Flight Centre: “China has been growing in popularity over the past few years due to more tour operators featuring the destination and increased publicity from the Beijing Olympics, however many of our suppliers are finding it difficult to negotiate decent prices for hotel rooms for next year.

“We are finding that it is not only Beijing that will be affected with price hikes but also other major tourist cities that want to cash in on the Olympic Games such as Shanghai, Xi’an and Nanjing and would advise people to plan well ahead if they want to visit next year.

“We believe that bookings to China may suffer due to this, particularly during the peak summer travel period as travellers are put off by the high hotel prices, although we anticipate that post Olympics and 2009 will see a big boost in travellers to the destination”.

For more information and bookings, log on to Flightcentre.co.uk.