In the Olymplic year of 2008, many medium and high-end hotels in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu have increased their rates because of the volume of business activities, and number of conventions and exhibitions held in these cities which bring a lot of customers to them.

Peak season business campaigns start from the middle of March so that occupancy rates of medium and high-end hotels in major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai increase, with the result that room rates rise. The average increase of Beijing's four-star hotel rates is higher than 10%, and that of five-star hotels is about 20%. In Shanghai, the average increase in four-star hotels rates is more than 20%, and that of five-star hotels is over 30%; in Hong Kong, rates for medium and high-end hotels increased by 30%, some even by up to 50%.

In addition, average rates of four- and five-star hotels in Chengdu, Dalian, Jinan, and Nanjing also rose in differing degrees.

Interestingly, hotels rated lower than three-star in these major cities do not have major changes their rates.