Abstract
This study investigated the differences of the best hotel room rates offered by different online distribution channels in mainland China, one of the most promising tourism markets. The room rates of 35 hotels in Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing, which represent the three largest cities in China, on four direct and indirect online channels, were analyzed. In addition to the hotels' own websites, the websites of local, national, and regional online travel agencies were examined. Empirical findings revealed that the local travel agency websites generally offered the lowest rates for upscale and luxury hotels, while the national online travel agency offered the overall best rate for midpriced hotels. In contrast, the hotels' own websites were one of the most expensive channels.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
