Tourists from China's three key cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou are inclined to spend more in trips to Europe than to other places in the world, according to a report released by the Nielsen Company.

The Nielsen China Outbound Travel Monitor 2007 found that among outbound travellers in the three cities, those to Europe were the biggest spenders, splashing out an average of 5,253 U.S. dollars per person.

Travelers to Asia spent just a bit more than a third the amount of those to Europe, reaching 1,904 U.S. dollars a head, with the exception of those to Hong Kong and Macao, where the average per capita spending was 2,185 U.S. dollars, reflecting the two destinations' status as shopping and entertainment centres, according to the company.

On average, Chinese outbound travellers spent nearly 3,000 U.S. dollars per trip per person, which included expenses prior to the trip, such as prepaid packages, airfares and accommodation, revealed Nielsen's survey based on a combination of telephone and online interviews.

"Asia remains the most popular destination for Chinese travellers because of the region's proximity. However, trips to Europe and America are increasing rapidly in numbers, particularly when it comes to business travel," said Dr. Grace Pan, head of Travel and Leisure Research for The Nielsen Company, China.

"We also found that while most Chinese travellers were still focusing on budget travel, there was a fast-emerging affluent market group prepared to indulge themselves in luxury travel," Dr. Pan said.

Nielsen's survey showed more than one third of Chinese outbound travellers in the three cities chose to stay in four-star hotels, with a further 10 percent opting for five-star luxury accommodation when heading overseas.

"Chinese consumers are becoming increasingly sophisticated and the travel industry needs to monitor changes and trends in their travel preferences, attitudes and perceptions towards various destinations," Dr. Pan said.

"While Chinese travellers appear to seek comfort, they are also becoming wise and well-prepared as they plan their trips accessing all the information available to them on the Internet," he said.