Hotwire Reveals Hotel Rate Report for July 2011

SAN FRANCISCO, July 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hotwire.com®, a leading discount travel site, today announced the results of the July 2011 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 increases. While one report guides customers to the destinations that will maximize their travel dollars, the other highlights places where using Hotwire to save money is even more essential.

Top Five Price Drops:

Summer travelers are in luck, as popular leisure destinations make this month's list of top price drops, starting with Santa Fe. With an overall 16 percent price drop, traffic in New Mexico's capital city is down compared to July 2010. After last month's area wildfires garnered national media interest, Santa Fe has seen a dip in travel demand. As a result, local hotels are lowering their rates in hopes of refilling rooms. Coming in second with a nine percent price decrease is Monterey. This great coastal vacation destination had many pre-bookings earlier in the year for summer, but tourist flow has quickly fallen, especially now that the recent holiday weekends have passed. In response, Monterey hotels are dropping prices to keep up a steady drum beat of business.

Myrtle Beach and Flagstaff are tied for third place with five percent decreases. Flagstaff has been dealing with slow traffic since February. Hopes for a summer boost haven't materialized, so hotels in the area are offering some great deals to entice travelers interested in a scenic vacation to areas such as the Grand Canyon. Myrtle Beach had a busy summer last year and started off this summer strong.  Now those same properties are looking to keep numbers up throughout the whole season and are dropping rates. Lake Tahoe rounds out the top five price reductions with a four percent decrease and offers a huge range of summer recreational activities to those looking to do anything from hiking, to waterskiing or just lounging by the lake.

When compared to the same time last year, the top five hotel price reductions for July 2011 include:

Top Five Price Increases:

Some popular big city destinations account for the top price increases this month, leading with a 23 percent increase in Las Vegas. Although temperatures are rising with the start of summer, more convention bookings and leisure travelers are causing rates to increase in Nevada's most visited area. Grand Rapids comes in second with a 24 percent jump in rates due to an uptick in leisure demand as the city ramps up summer events and hosts some of the world's biggest music acts this month. Meanwhile, San Francisco and New Orleans continue to make the list as they raise prices thanks to strong convention and group business. Rounding out the top five increases for July is Vancouver. After seeing a significant amount of price drops recently, rates are coming back up due to the much-needed arrival of higher convention attendance and increased leisure demand for the popular summer months.

When compared to the same time last year, the top five hotel price increases for July 2011 include:

"Many great summer destinations are lowering their prices right now, giving travelers a variety of options to choose from as they finalize their vacation plans," said Clem Bason, president of the Hotwire Group. "Whether you prefer lounging on the beach or enjoying natural wonders, great rates can be found in a variety of destinations that offer activities to suit every summer traveler."

Over 1.8 million hotel rooms go unsold across North America every night, and for over 10 years, Hotwire has worked with hotels, airlines and car rental companies to fill this unsold inventory. As a result, Hotwire offers travelers amazing deals, every day of the year, across a variety of markets. Through Hotwire's deep understanding of the industry and unique relationships, consumers have been able to save millions of dollars on all their travel needs.

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.  © 2011 Hotwire, Inc.  All rights reserved. CST# 2053390-40.

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SOURCE Hotwire.com