Beijing hotels cut rates for max bookings ahead of Olympics

Chinese tourists differ from foreign tourists in their tendency to make reservations two to three days before arrival. A lower price now could hence attract more domestic bookings, Wu said.

The Beijing municipal tourism bureau said on July 11 that the occupancy rate in five-star hotels had reached 77 percent, while that of four-star hotels was only 44 percent.

But with the Games approaching, lower-ranked hotels are gaining popularity, judging from growing reservations from budget travelers during the past weeks, Ctrip said.

In terms of location, reservations have been concentrated in the Olympic Village, Asian Games Village and hotels near the Olympic stadiums.

Hotels located farther from the Olympic stadiums have also begun providing packages in a bid to attract customers, including offers of breakfast vouchers and souvenirs, Ctrip said.