Girlfriend getaways are becoming an increasingly popular trend in the tourism industry, a travel website study shows.

Independent online travel website and hotel booking company Agoda.com has noted a marked increase in the number of reservations made by Western women to Asian destinations in the past year, it said.

As a specialist in the Asian travel market, Agoda Company lists thousands of hotels in a variety of Asian destinations. Their internal data revealed a 70 per cent boost in the number of bookings made by women - mostly from Australia and the US - to hotspots such as Bali, Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand from July 2006 to present.

These figures coincide with other research such as a recent Mastercard report 'Women Travelers of Asia Pacific' which suggests that around four in every 10 Asian trips are made by women travelers - a big jump up from the 1970s estimate of one in 10.

According to Australian national and frequent traveler to Asia, Maryanne Jaques, a holiday with the girls is always fun and relaxing as there is no pressure to appease the opposite sex and it's safe when traveling with a group.

'Going somewhere exotic with a tropical climate that's accessible and has great hotel options at great rates makes places like Bali and Thailand favorites among my friends,' said the radio DJ.

Marion Walsh, an expat living in Thailand and Brand Manager for the boutique Anantara Resort Group, agrees with Jaques that a weekend away with the girls is one of those moments that should be cherished; where everyone is free and comfortable to be themselves.

In light of this trend, hotels are fast realising the profitability of girlfriends going East. From indulgent spa treatments and shopping marathons to beach getaways and fine wining and dining options, hotels are catering, promoting and pandering to the sisters and their traveling pants.

'As this trend matures, it will be increasingly important for online merchants like Agoda to develop travel product and websites that appeal to women, which is something we've been keen to do for many years now,' Agoda chief operating officer Robert Rosenstein.TradeArabia News Service