Hotel rates in Ho Chi Minh City will remain steady, despite the introduction of new rooms last year.

According to the city's hotel association, the supply and demand for high-class accommodation will be balanced this year. No dramatic changes in the room occupation rates are likely, despite the fact that three new five-star hotels will open later this year, it added.

The country's southern hub has 13 five-star hotels with 4,000 rooms. The average occupancy rate in 2013 was 70 percent, around the level seen in 2012.

The additional supply is expected to keep pace with the growing demand.

The municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism agreed with that assessment, it said last year.

The average room rate was around 96 USD per night per room, up 3 percent from the previous year, which was acceptable as there was a 14.5 percent increase in capacity.

In the three - to five-star hotel categories, around 1,606 rooms came into the market. The five-star segment added 330 rooms, while the four-star category gained 491 rooms. The three-star hotels added 785 rooms last year.

The number of international tourists visiting the city reached 4.1 million last year. The expectation is that the number will climb to 4.4 million this year.-VNA