Hotel Price Index Reveals Canadian Hotel Prices Rise for Fourth Consecutive Year

Canadian hotel prices increase three per cent in 2013

TORONTO, March 6, 2014 /CNW/ - The average price of a hotel room in Canada rose three per cent during 2013, according to the latest Hotels.com™ Hotel Price Index™ (HPI™). With the Canadian dollar declining throughout the last half of 2013 to a three-year low¹, many travellers took the opportunity to explore Canada.

"The HPI has tracked four years of solid progress since hotel prices declined in 2008," said Neha Parikh, vice president and general manager, Hotels.com North America. "This steady growth is a good sign for the Canadian travel industry and the 2013 prices paid are a useful guide for inspiration to visit familiar domestic cities and venture out and discover a wide range of destinations beyond Canada's border."

Top Canadian Performers

With a lower Canadian dollar, U.S. travellers took the opportunity to cross the border and explore the country's cultural and entertainment capital, Toronto, which surpassed Rome to rank as the third Most Popular International City for Americans for the first time since 2010. As in previous HPIs, Montreal and Vancouver claimed the second and third spots amongst domestic travellers, respectively, however for foreign guests, Vancouver beat Montreal to hold the second place position.

Canadian Travel Habits

In 2013, the American city known for its theme parks, orange juice and white sand beaches jumped to third place on the list of Most Popular International Cities for Canadians. Orlando, FL moved up one spot, behind New York, NY and Las Vegas, NV, which maintained their first and second place positions, respectively.

A new addition to the 20 Most Popular International Cities for Canadians list is Hong Kong, jumping seven spots in 2013 to enter the list at number 16. Aside from being the only Asian destination in the Top 20, the city is known for its expansive skyline, harbour-front and shopping districts. Although it's a popular business destination, Hong Kong is a great fusion of history and modern innovation sure to please travellers seeking a well-rounded travel experience.

Best Values Four and Five Star Hotels

The epitome of luxury is a five-star hotel and the 2013 HPI helps travellers find the best hotel deals the world has to offer. When Canadians want to relax without breaking the bank, hotels in Europe, East Asia and North Africa offer world-class hotels at competitive prices. Warsaw, Poland offered the best dollar-per-star value in 2013. For only $120 per night, Canadians indulged in the lap of luxury without spending much Polish złoty, Poland's currency.

Golden-sand beaches, medieval castles and cobblestone roads are just the beginning in Lisbon, Portugal. With an average five-star room rate of only $171 per night in 2013, Canadians can look to treat themselves to well-appointed accommodations while enjoying the city's rich history, great food and wine and vibrant nightlife.

Great five-star hotel deals could also be fund in Mumbai, India ($187), Guangzhou, China ($188), Budapest, Hungary ($192) and Delhi, India ($192). For more information on Canada specific results, please visit www.hotel-price-index.com/2014/spring/ca.

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About the HPI
The HPI is based on bookings made on Hotels.com sites and prices shown are those actually paid by customers per room per night, rather than advertised rates. More than 150,000 properties around the world make up the sample set of hotels from which prices are taken. To access the full report, including detailed maps, colorful photos and a city-by-city breakdown, please visit: www.hotel-price-index.com/2014/spring/ca.

About Hotels.com (http://www.hotels.com)
Hotels.com (also known in Canada as Hotels.ca) is a leading online accommodation booking website with more than 260,000 properties around the world, ranging from international chains and all-inclusive resorts to local favourites and bed & breakfasts, together with all the information needed to book the perfect stay. Special apps for mobile phones and tablets can also be downloaded enabling customers to book on the go with access to 20,000 last minute deals.

© 2014 Hotels.com, LP. Hotels.com, Hotel Price Index, HPI, The Obvious Choice, Captain Obvious, Welcome Rewards and the Hotels.com logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Hotels.com, LP in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. CST # 2083949-50

Image with caption: "Vancouver remains the third most popular domestic city for Canadian travellers (CNW Group/Hotels.com)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140306_C9592_PHOTO_EN_37633.jpg

SOURCE: Hotels.com

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