Switzerland tops the list as the most desirable European destination among Chinese travelers, according to the latest survey by Ctrip.com, China's largest online travel service provider.

The online survey, covering purpose, demand and difficulties during travel, showed that 80 percent of respondents aged between 20 and 45 wanted to travel to Switzerland, followed by France, Greece, Germany, Austria, the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Seventy percent of respondents said they wanted to take trains to visit Europe, while 16 percent preferred airplanes, 7 percent buses and 5 percent rental cars.

Self-service travel came in as the most popular form of travel.

However, the main barriers keeping visitors at home included difficulties obtaining visas, high costs and a lack of local knowledge.

In recent years, European nations have focused promotions on attracting Chinese tourists opting for individual trips instead of group travel packages.

The cost of individual trip packages includes air and train tickets and hotels, and the trips can range from three to 21 days.