Hotwire Reveals Hotel Rate Report for December 2010

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 21, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Hotwire.com®, a leading discount travel site, today announced the results of the December 2010 Hotwire® Hotel Rate Report. The report features the top five cities in North America where hotel rates have dropped the most and the top five cities where rates have experienced the biggest price increase. While one report guides customers to the destinations that will maximize their travel dollars, the other highlights places where using Hotwire to save money will be even more essential.

Top Five Price Drops:

Richmond, Virginia emerges as number one the price drop list for the first time with a fall of four percent. Richmond, which had placed lower on the list in recent months, is still facing a decline in group and business travel.  As a result, local hotel rates continue to fall.

Making its premiere on the list at number three is West Palm Beach, Florida. As we enter the winter months, business travel to this city has dropped more than usual this year, prompting lower prices. Expect hotels to further discount inventory to capture as much leisure demand as possible, whether that means hosting "snowbirds" down for the winter or accommodating family visiting for the holidays.

Salt Lake City returns to the price drop list after being absent for several months, and just in time for the winter sports season. This means great deals for skiers and snowboarders as half of the 14 nearby resorts are approximately an hour's drive from the city.

When compared to the same time last year, the top five hotel price reductions for December 2010 include:

Top Five Price Increases:

Rhode Island's capital and most populous city takes the number one spot in the price increase list with a jump of 26 percent. This popular leisure destination is seeing an uptick in travelers and hotel prices due to several popular wintertime festivals.

Both Niagara Falls, Ontario and Toronto have made frequent appearances in the report, and this month they are taking up the number two and three spaces on the list. Niagara Falls continues to see fuller hotels versus last year due to continued transient and small group business. Toronto lands back on the list due to strong convention and events business in both November and December.

Miami also returns to the list as it experiences some big events in town. This year-round sunny city is popular with conventions, like Art Basil, which marks the beginning of high season. The South Beach area is virtually sold out every weekend now, creating overflow demand to adjacent areas such as Downtown Miami and Coral Gables where hotels are hungry for higher rates.

When compared to the same time last year, the top five hotel price increases for December 2010 include:

"As winter sets in for many people across the country we're seeing some great travel deals that can help ease the transition," said Clem Bason, President of the Hotwire Group. "Whether it's sunny spots for snowbirds or snowy slopes for skiers, bargain-hunters can still take advantage of some incredibly low prices."

Over 1.8 million hotel rooms go unsold across North America every night. Hotwire is able to deliver great deals across all types of markets because it works with hotels, airlines, and car rental companies to fill unsold inventory.

About the Hotwire Hotel Rate Report

The Hotwire Hotel Rate Report will run results during the second week of each month. Results are calculated by looking at Hotwire stay dates for select regions in the current month, and comparing prices in the current month against Hotwire prices in the same month in the prior year. Prices are compared within the same star rating categories for consistency, and the percent change in price for each region is generated as an overall average of the changes in those categories. The prices in the charts above are examples for a particular star rating category within that market, and actual prices may be higher or lower than the example that is provided.

About Hotwire

Hotwire.com is a leading discount travel site with low rates on airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, cruises and vacation packages.  Launched in 2000, Hotwire negotiates deep discounts from its travel suppliers to help travelers book unsold airline seats, hotel rooms and rental cars.  Hotwire is an award-winning website and operating company of Expedia, Inc. CST# 2053390-50.  NST: 20003-0209.  For more information, visit http://www.hotwire.com/.

Hotwire, Hotwire.com and the Hotwire logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Hotwire, Inc. 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.  © 2010 Hotwire, Inc.  All rights reserved. CST# 2053390-40.

SOURCE Hotwire.com