MORE than 200 hotels in the city have started accepting bookings for the World Expo next May.

Travel agents said today that although room prices are expected to rise during the event, prices would not be as high as hotels in Beijing during the Olympic Games last year.

According to travel Website Ctrip.com, next year the average price of five-star hotels may range around 1,600 yuan (US$139), while that of two and three-star ones will be between 200 to 300 yuan. Hotels in surrounding cities, such as Hangzhou, Suzhou and Nanjing, will also cost more.

"As the Expo will last for about half a year, visitor volumes will be relatively stable," said Tang Xiaofeng, supervisor of Ctrip's hotel business department.