Improving technology sees a rise in apps and tools to book on the go, Li Fusheng and Xu Xiao report.

Smartphones and tablets are expected to become the most important hotel-booking tool for business travelers in the next three years, according to industry insiders.

Jiang Jun, general manager of hotel reservation company HRS China, said about 12 percent of orders the company received were submitted through mobile gadgets. She estimated the figure will exceed 50 percent by 2017.