HONGKONG VISITORS TOP SPENDERS IN INDIA

Visitors from Hong Kong have topped the list of travellers paying the most for hotel accommodation in India in 2013, parting with an average Rs 8,061 per night, which is six per cent more than what they paid in 2012, says a report. Visitors from West Asia stood at the second place, paying Rs 7,909 a night, followed by South Africans, who paid Rs 7,594, Hotels.com said in the report. "Travellers from Hong Kong paid the most for hotel accommodation in India in 2013, paying Rs 8,061 a night. This is a 6 per cent increase when compared to what they paid in 2012," according to Hotels.com Hotel Price Index (HPI). Travellers from both West Asia and South Africa paid 3 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively, more than the previous year, it showed. Many of the highest increases were paid by visitors from Europe. Among the European nations, travellers from Belgium parted 25 per cent more at Rs 6,363, Finland (22 per cent) at Rs 6,187 and Italy had the same percentage increase, taking its average to Rs 6,098. Thailand and China were the fastest risers in Asia with the former up 23 per cent at Rs 6,903 at and the latter up 17 per cent at Rs 7,115. Of the few countries whose spending declined, the Brazilians saw the hardest fall, parting with 10 per cent less during 2013 to Rs 6,645, followed by Japan with its own devalued currency deterring foreign travel, down 6 per cent to Rs 7,154. Other countries that spent less and were seen at the bottom of the list includes Malaysia where travellers paid the least at Rs 5,315 per night, registering a drop of one per cent, followed by the Russians, down 2 per cent to Rs 5,510 and the Taiwanese, down 5 per cent to Rs 5,517. The report, which also listed the top destinations for overseas visitors coming to India, said that Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Bengaluru, Chennai and Jaipur continued to reserve the top six spots in 2013. Agra, the Indian city that is known to attract international tourists the most, has dropped two spots. The land of Taj Mahal has moved from seventh to ninth position, giving way to Hyderabad and Thiruvananthapuram in 2013.