The US-based company will add accommodation service of Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co on its Website, giving overseas travelers access to Jin Jiang's 250-odd hotels in 59 Chinese cities, the two companies said in a joint statement.

The agreement is expected to "significantly increase the number of high value customers" staying at Jin Jiang's hotels, specifically from North America and Europe, said Cameron Jones, regional director of Expedia Partner Services Group, Asia Pacific.

The partnership can also help Beijing-based eLong.com, a Chinese-language online travel agency which Expedia acquired a 52 percent stake in, to compete with its Chinese rival Ctrip.com, the industry leader in the country, industrial insiders said.

"We have set an aggressive strategy for growth in the next four years," said Michael Meade, senior vice president of sales and marketing of Shanghai-based Jin Jiang Hotels, in the statement.

Jin Jiang has completed its initial public offering on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and plans to expand outside China and grow to 500 hotels and inns ranging from luxury five-star accommodation to economy lodging by 2010.

China received 124 million visitors last year, making the country .

Shanghai hosted 5.7 million overseas tourists in 2005, about 15 percent more than a year ago.

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