DALLAS, March 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- After three years,
prices travelers paid for overnight accommodations rose 2% globally
in 2017, according to the latest Hotels.com® Hotel Price
Index™ (HPI®). In a year where cryptocurrencies flooded
the market, hashtags took over the red carpet and political debate
turned well, political, the needle has also moved for travelers,
with a two-point rise in the global Index to 116, the closest it
has been to the 2007 peak of 118.
"The slight increase in average accommodation prices globally,
combined with numerous markets having record visitor growth, has
signaled a strong travel economy and a
growing desire from consumers to experience the
world," said Johan Svanstrom,
president of Hotels.com. "Cultural events have inspired travel more
than ever before as we aspire not to just stand by and
observe the action, but to instead actually be a part of it. "
In the U.S., more citizens have a passport than ever before, and
as a result they are looking to get out and experience the world,
despite an increase in prices paid* for hotel stays.
A few of the study's key findings:
- Las Vegas was the most popular
destination for U.S. domestic travel as visitors continued to flock
to Sin City for leisure and conventions
- New York City was the second
most popular U.S. domestic location despite relatively high average
prices paid
- Next on the list of "Most Popular Domestic Destinations for
American Travelers" include Orlando (ranked 3rd), San Diego (ranked 4th) and
Chicago (ranked
5th)
- The largest average price drops for overnight stays for
international visitors were in Chicago, Honolulu and Philadelphia, all decreasing by 4% since
2016
- London was the most popular
international spot for U.S. travelers, followed by Paris, Toronto, Tokyo and Rome
- Thailand was the most popular
country in Asia for U.S.
travelers
- Americans found the largest average price increase in
Lisbon at 13% and the largest
average price drop in Dubai with a
decrease of 6%
Sunshine South of the Border –
Mexico
There is no doubt
that travelers are looking to relax and enjoy the sunshine while on
vacation. Cancun, Playa Del Carmen and Mexico City were the top destinations in
Mexico for U.S. travelers. Among
the cities analyzed, Americans traveling to Mexico paid the most for rooms in Playa Del
Carmen– which had an average price of $247 per night – an increase of 2% from 2016.
Americans Flocked Across the Pond
With more than 40%
of Americans traveling overseas in 2017, Europe topped the charts for the most
desirable outbound region and London was first on the list of international
destinations. Despite the high prices, the capital's long-standing
appeal as a bucket-list city got some help from the pound – which
has brought average accommodation prices down by 2% since 2016.
Travelers had fiestas in Spain,
which became the 2nd most visited country in the world,
and 6th for U.S. travelers in 2017 with an average of
$163 per night. Americans looking to
explore without breaking the bank found the best value in
Istanbul, paying on average of
$92 per night.
Stretching the Budget in Asia
U.S. travelers found themselves
paying more for their overnight accommodations in 70% of their Top
50 international destinations, but not in Asia. The HPI reported that Chiang Mai (ranked 49th),
Ho Chi Minh City (ranked
34th) and Bangkok
(ranked 5th) had the lowest international average prices
paid per night - all averaging below $100 per night. Thailand was the most popular country in the
region for U.S. travelers, welcoming 35 million visitors in
2017.
In addition to the great value destinations and hidden gems
found in the HPI, travelers that haven't yet padded their wallets
with cryptocurrency can take advantage of programs like Hotels.com™
Rewards, which lets you earn free** nights while you sleep and gain
access to instant savings like Secret Prices***. Secret Prices are
lower rates that aren't available to everyone and offer up to 50%
off thousands of properties in popular destinations every day. With
Hotels.com Rewards, you earn a free night for every 10 booked. It's
that simple.
About the HPI
The HPI was set at 100 in its inaugural
year, 2004. The index format allows Hotels.com to highlight
year-over-year variations in actual prices paid per night by
travelers without foreign exchange fluctuations distorting the
picture. Please visit hpi.hotels.com for more information and to
view reports in additional currencies.
For further information, imagery or interview requests, please
contact Alex Lee at
Alex.lee@hkstrategies.com.
About Hotels.com
Hotels.com is the place to go if
you're look for a place to stay. We really love travel and we know
you do too. That's why we make it really easy to book with us. With
hundreds of thousands of places to stay around the world and 90
local websites in 41 languages, Hotels.com has it all. So, whether
you're looking for value in Vegas, treehouses in Thailand or villas in Venezuela, it's all just a click away. And
with our "Reward-winning" loyalty program you earn free** nights
while you sleep and get access to instant savings like Secret
Prices…what could be better? Booking just got smarter too. With
over 25 million real guest reviews and an app so easy to use that
it's been downloaded more than 60 million times, you can be sure to
find the perfect place for you.
© Hotels.com, LP. Hotel Price Index, HPI, Hotels.com
Rewards. All rights reserved. Hotels.com and the Hotels.com
logo are trademarks of Hotels.com, LP. All other trademarks
are property of their respective owners. CST# 2083949-50
*Average prices paid per night including taxes and fees.
**Free night does not include taxes and fees. See full terms and
conditions.
***Secret Prices are available to Hotels.com app users, Hotels.com
Rewards members and individuals who unlock Secret Prices on the
website by subscribing to Hotels.com by email. Secret Prices will
be shown where the "Your Secret Price" banner is displayed on your
search results. Available on selected hotels and selected dates
only. Subject to full terms and conditions.
Media Contact:
For further information, please contact;
Alex Lee
Phone: (214) 613-0025
Email: Alex.lee@hkstrategies.com
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