Hotels.com Hotel Price Index (HPI) Highlights Rising Hotel Prices in Emerging Destinations for American Travelers
Latin America and Asia see hotel prices increase due to growth in popularity
DALLAS, Nov. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the hotels.com® Hotel Price Index™ (HPI®), destinations in Latin America and Asia are gaining popularity with U.S. travelers as the regions saw overall price increases in average prices paid for hotel rooms during 2011 compared to 2010. Latin America saw rates increase 2 percent while Asia witnessed a 1 percent increase in average prices paid. Cities in these regions such as Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong and Bangkok all saw significant increases in room rates.
"We are finding a growing interest from U.S. travelers in emerging destinations, like Latin America and Asia for both business and leisure travel," said Victor Owens, vice president of marketing North America for hotels.com. "As the Hotel Price Index indicates, there has been increased demand for travel to Asia and Latin America, especially Brazil, where prices paid for hotel rooms grew 19 percent. We expect to see more cities in these regions make their way onto the HPI's top international destinations for U.S. travelers as their economies grow and there is more investment in hotels and overall tourism."
Rising Asian Destinations
The latest Hotel Price Index indicates that Asia continues to be an up-and-coming destination for American travelers. Despite earthquakes and typhoons, the region saw average prices paid for hotel rooms rise slightly, by 1 percent. Hong Kong ranked as the eighth most visited international city by Americans in 2011, while other Asian cities including Bangkok, Shanghai, Beijing, Dubai and Singapore ranked in the top 25 most visited international destinations by Americans. A growing business, cultural and culinary hotspot, Singapore rose as one of the most expensive Asian cities, seeing a year-over-year average daily rate increase of 18 percent. Travelers looking for travel deals to Asia should look at Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Chiang Mai, Thailand before demand for these locations rises and prices increase.
A Continuing Upturn in Latin America Travel
American travelers are paying 2 percent more for hotel rooms in Latin America than they did a year ago. Hotel prices have now risen for five successive quarters, which underlines the growing economic power of the region, especially in its largest country, Brazil. Part of the emerging BRIC countries and host to the upcoming World Cup and Olympics, Brazil is gaining popularity as both a business and leisure destination. This emerging destination saw nightly room rates increase 19 percent from 2010, making it the third most popular expensive country globally to book hotel rooms. Hotel rates in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are ranked in the top ten most expensive cities in Latin America to find a hotel room as both cities saw average per night rates increase more than 20 percent.
With close proximity to the U.S. and renown for beautiful beaches, Mexico continues to attract American tourists. Five Mexican cities – Cancun, Riviera Maya, Mexico City, Los Cabos and Puerta Vallarta - ranked in the top 50 most popular international destinations for American travelers. Los Cabos and Riviera Maya were both listed in the top ten most expensive destinations. Additionally, Leon and Los Cabos saw room rates increase 17 and 14 percent respectively. Mexico as a whole saw year-over-year prices rise 2 percent from 2010.
The hotels.com Hotel Price Index (HPI) is a regular survey of hotel prices in major city destinations across the world. The HPI is based on bookings made on hotels.com and prices shown are those actually paid by customers (rather than advertised rates) for the first half of 2011. The report largely compares prices paid in 2010 with prices paid in 2011.
For the full report, featuring infographics, detailed maps, and a city-by-city breakdown, visit: www.hotel-price-index.com.
About the HPI™
The HPI tracks the real prices paid per room by hotels.com customers around the world using a weighted average based on the number of rooms sold in each of the markets that hotels.com operates. The index started in 2004, and includes all bookings across all-star ratings across the approximately 140,000 properties in the more than 18,000 global locations that make up the sample set of hotels from which prices are taken.
About hotels.com
Hotels.com® is a leading provider of lodging worldwide, offering more than 140,000 properties in over 60 countries from national chain hotels and all-inclusive resorts to local favorites and bed & breakfasts. Hotels.com is the smarter way to book travel by offering welcomerewards®, an industry leading loyalty rewards program; the real opinions of other travelers captured in 2.5 million Guest Reviews and; a Price Match Guarantee, so that those booking with hotels.com can be assured they are getting the best deal, either online or by speaking directly to a travel expert at 1-800-2-HOTELS 24 hours a day. For more information, please visit hotels.com. Hotels.com is an operating company of Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE). Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hotelsdotcom and Twitter via www.twitter.com/hotelsdotcom or visit the hotels.com Travel Smart Blog for consumer and business travel information. Download the mobile app here: http://www.hotels.com/deals/mobile_app/. Detailed Hotel Price Index data is available at: http://www.hotel-price-index.com, hotels.com, A Smarter Way to Book™.
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SOURCE hotels.com
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