The Hotel Price Index(TM) from Hotels.ca Reveals Canadian Travellers Saved on
International Travel in the First Half of 2010
</pre> <p><span class="xn-location">TORONTO</span>, <span class="xn-chron">Sept. 13</span> /CNW/ -- The strong Canadian dollar benefited Canadian travellers in the first half of the year as consumers were able to save on hotel accommodations internationally, according to the Hotel Price Index(TM)(HPI(TM)), released today by Hotels.ca®.</p> <p/> <p>Hotels.ca is part of the Hotels.com® worldwide group and conducts a regular analysis of prices actually paid by consumers for hotels in major destinations around the world, rather than advertised rates.</p> <p/> <p>While the average price of a hotel room around the world rose 2% in the second quarter of 2010 compared to the same period last year, the HPI(TM) found that Canadian travellers actually reduced their average hotel room spend in every major country destination. This is particularly true across <span class="xn-location">Europe</span>, where the Canadian dollar has risen against the Euro. Examples cited in the HPI(TM) include prices paid down by almost a quarter (24%) in <span class="xn-location">Budapest</span> from a year earlier, in Dublin by over a fifth (21%) and in <span class="xn-location">Prague</span>, <span class="xn-location">Athens</span>, <span class="xn-location">Amsterdam</span>, <span class="xn-location">Copenhagen</span> and <span class="xn-location">Lisbon</span> by more than a tenth (between 14% and 18%).</p> <p/> <p>"In some cases, the actual price in Euros at the hotels may have increased slightly, but the strong buying power of the Canadian dollar, made it more affordable this year for Canadians to maintain the quality of their accommodation, but spend less to get the same," <span class="xn-person">David Roche</span>, President of Hotels.com worldwide. "There may have never been a better time for Canadians to travel to European cities."</p> <p/> <p>Other international savings by Canadian travellers noted in the HPI(TM) include: 10% in Cancun (<span class="xn-money">$181</span> average per night, compared to <span class="xn-money">$200</span> a year earlier), Dubai, 18% (<span class="xn-money">$157</span> vs. <span class="xn-money">$191</span>), <span class="xn-location">Mexico City</span> 18% (<span class="xn-money">$98</span> vs. <span class="xn-money">$120</span>), and 8% (<span class="xn-money">$97</span> vs. <span class="xn-money">$106</span>) in <span class="xn-location">Orlando</span>.</p> <p/> <p>The HPI(TM) also indicates that Canadian cities had some of the highest rate increases globally in the first half of 2010 compared to last year. <span class="xn-location">Montreal</span> and <span class="xn-location">Vancouver</span> ranked second and third respectively, behind <span class="xn-location">Singapore</span>. Prices were up in <span class="xn-location">Montreal</span> by 7% year-over-year with an average room rate of <span class="xn-money">$145</span>; while in <span class="xn-location">Vancouver</span>, room rates were up 4% (<span class="xn-money">$147</span>).<span class="xn-location">Toronto</span> hotel prices were also up 4% (<span class="xn-money">$133</span>), ranking 6th overall. <span class="xn-location">Singapore</span> hotel rates had the largest year-over-year increase at 10%.</p> <pre> Other key findings of the HPI(TM) include: -- Mont Tremblant, Lake Louise, Whistler, Jasper and Banff, top the list of the most expensive Canadian destinations for domestic travellers. -- Toronto is the favourite domestic destination for Canadian leisure and business travellers, slightly ahead of Montreal and Vancouver. They're followed by Niagara Falls and Edmonton. -- Vancouver is Canada's favourite city to visit for international travellers, followed by Toronto, Montreal, Niagara Falls and Quebec City. -- Las Vegas topped Canadians' list of top international destinations, ahead of New York, London, San Francisco and Seattle. -- Switzerland was the country in which Canadian travellers spent the most during the second quarter of 2010, spending on average $226 for a room, relatively unchanged from a year earlier. -- The World Cup in South Africa helped propel room prices up 67% year over year with an average room rate of $190. </pre> <p>The Hotels.ca HPI(TM) tracks the real prices paid per hotel room rather than advertised rates. It is based on prices actually paid by customers for 91,500 properties in more than 15,750 locations around the world. The HPI(TM) report issued today examines hotel prices for the first half of 2010, compared to the same period last year. The actual prices paid per room by Hotels.ca and Hotels.com customers around the world are tracked in the HPI(TM), using a weighted average based on the number of rooms sold in each of the markets in which the company operates.</p> <pre> Click here http://www.hotel-price-index.com, for a look at the entire report. About Hotels.ca </pre> <p>Hotels.ca, part of the hotels.com worldwide group of sites, is a leading provider of worldwide accommodations to Canadians, offering reservation services through its website at <a href="http://www.hotels.ca">www.hotels.ca</a> and its toll-free call centre at 1-800-CA-HOTELS (1-800-224-6835). Hotels.ca offers travellers the widest selection of accommodations - from traditional hotels to vacation rentals - at over 99,000 properties in <span class="xn-location">Canada</span>, the <span class="xn-location">United States</span>, <span class="xn-location">Europe</span>, and around the world. The company offers a one-stop shopping source for hotels, with over 1.8 million customer reviews, a Price Match Guarantee and pricing in Canadian dollars. Hotels.ca is a brand owned and operated by Expedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPE).</p> <p/> <p>Hotels.ca, Hotels.com, HPI, Hotel Price Index and the Hotels.ca logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Hotels.com, LP, in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners.</p> <pre> * All prices are in Canadian dollars. </pre> <p> </p> <p> </p> <pre> For further information or to request an interview with Hotels.ca, please contact: Trell Huether Marshall Fenn Communications 416.962.3366 ext. 233 [email protected]
For further information: For further information: Trell Huether, Marshall Fenn Communications, +1-416-962-3366 ext. 233, [email protected] Web Site: http://www.hotels.ca
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