Hotel Prices in BC "Climb" While Prairies "Go Flat"

• Global hotel prices paid by travellers worldwide rose by just 1 per cent  in 2015, according to latest Hotel Price Index from Hotels.com
• Report tracks impact of economic changes on Canadian hotel prices
• Hotel prices in Canada were a mixed bag of moderate increases and decreases

TORONTO, March 2, 2016 /CNW/ - Good news for travellers coming from the latest Hotel Price Index™ (HPI™) from Hotels.com™ with average prices paid per night for hotel accommodation up only 1 per cent globally in 2015 as compared to 2014. The global index sat at 114 for 2015 and is closing the gap on the previous peak of 117 in 2007, the year before the global economic crisis. North America drove the global increase as the only region to see hotel prices rise (up 3 per cent) throughout 2015 with the index hitting 119, exceeding its pre-recession high of 117 in 2007.

The falling loonie encouraged foreign travel due to favourable exchange rates and contributed to a notable increase in domestic travel. As a result, travellers paid* more for hotel rooms in 2015 in almost half of the top 50 most popular domestic destinations, although all of the increases were under 10 per cent

"Canadian tourism received a boost as a result of a lower Canadian dollar with more foreign travellers choosing to visit the country and several top destinations seeing a record number of visitors in 2015," says Josh Belkin, Vice President & General Manager, North America for Hotels.com brand. "So if Canadians are travelling for pleasure, they might want to consider some Western destinations now like Calgary, Regina and Fort McMurray, given the lower cost of accommodations."

The HPI is a regular report on hotel prices in major destinations across the world, tracking the movement in prices that people actually paid for their accommodation and providing valuable insight into the reasons behind these changes. The data is drawn from bookings made on the hundreds of thousands of hotels on the Hotels.com websites worldwide.

Canadian 2015 travel driven by sporting events

In general, British Colombia reported the highest hotel price increases, particularly in Victoria and Vancouver, while Alberta, Quebec and Saskatchewan led the way with price decreases. Fort McMurray, AB, recording the steepest drop while Langley, BC, and Lethbridge, AB, reported the lowest average rate paid for hotel accommodation in the Top 50 Most Popular Domestic Destinations for Canadians. Less than $100 higher, Niagara-on-the-Lake was the destination with the highest average price paid in 2015.

Based on HPI data, Toronto was the most popular domestic destination in 2015 and only a small price rise was seen there.

Canada proclaimed 2015 the Year of Sport and travel numbers were certainly boosted by major global sporting events, such as the FIFA Women's World Cup, the Men's World Curling Championship and the Ice Hockey World Junior Championship.

Average prices paid per night by Canadian travellers in selected Canadian destinations in 2015, compared with 2014.

City	Province	2015	2014	Per cent change	2015 popularity ranking among Canadians
Niagara-on-the-Lake	ON	$203	$195	4%	47
Fort McMurray	AB	$172	$210	-18%	39
Vancouver	BC	$169	$156	8%	3
Victoria	BC	$158	$145	9%	10
Saskatoon	SK	$157	$166	-6%	12
Toronto	ON	$155	$152	2%	1
Calgary	AB	$150	$161	-6%	5
Regina	SK	$139	$149	-7%	16
Sherbrooke	QC	$137	$145	-5%	45
L'Ancienne-Lorette	QC	$122	$128	-5%	34
Langley	BC	$110	$107	3%	33
Lethbridge	AB	$110	$115	-4%	30

*Average prices paid per night inclusive of taxes and fees

Please visit hpi.hotels.com for more information and to view reports in additional currencies.

About Hotels.com

Hotels.com, L.P. operates Hotels.com (also known in Canada as Hotels.ca), a leading online accommodation booking website with properties 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.

© 2016 Hotels.com, LP. Hotels.com, The Obvious Choice, Hotel Price Index, HPI 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

SOURCE Hotels.com

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For further information: Media Contacts: Somya Anand, energiPR for Hotels.com, Phone: [phone] x 19, Email: [e-mail]; Emily Zazado, Hotels.com North America, Phone: [phone], Email: [e-mail]