Global hotel prices drop 17% to their lowest in 5 yrs

Mumbai registers 2nd highest loss with a drop of 42%

The average price of a hotel room around the world fell by 17 percent in the first six months of 2009 according to the latest Hotel Price Index™  from Hotels.com®.

The Hotel Price Index, which looks at hotel prices* for January to June 2009 compared to the same period the year before, revealed that hotel prices globally are on average lower than they were five years ago when the Hotel Price Index began, meaning consumers are now paying 2003 prices.

Moscow hotels registered the highest fall of 52%.  Prices for hotels in Mumbai registered the second highest decline of 42% as the terrorist attack of November 2008 continued to deter tourists, while business travel to the city also dropped due to the economic downturn.  Other cities that registered steep falls include Auckland (-40%); Warsaw (-38%) and Singapore (-35%).  Hotel prices in New Delhi also declined sharply by 31%.  (please see table below)

Hotels in the Asia Pacific region, which had been holding up better than those in the US or Europe, tumbled in the first half of 2009, dropping an average of 17 per cent compared to the same period one year earlier.

Key destinations in Asia-Pacific region that experienced some drastic price downfall include Singapore (-35%), Beijing (-32%), Hong Kong (-22%), Kuala Lumpur (-18%) and Bangkok (-16%).

On average, prices in Latin America fell by the greatest extent, down 18 per cent in the first half of 2009 compared to the year before.  Prices for hotel rooms in North America were down 17 per cent, with rates in Europe faring little better, dropping 16 per cent during the same period. Hotel rates in the Caribbean fell just a two per cent in the first half of the year.

David Roche, President, Hotels.com Worldwide, comments: “We were expecting 2009 to be a year of dramatic price reductions across the world, and so far, it has been.  This is by far the most significant movement in prices we’ve seen in the five years of publishing the Hotel Price Index.”

Johan Svanstrom, Managing Director Hotels.com Asia Pacific, says:  “The significant fall in hotel prices in India’s two largest cities, Mumbai and New Delhi, once again makes this region attractive to international visitors as long-haul inbound travellers will see lower hotel rates helping to offset the perceived relative expense of getting there. There has certainly been a price drop also in local currencies, helping to stimulate local travellers to find great deals, both for leisure and for business purposes.”

The Hotels.com Hotel Price Index tracks the real prices paid per hotel room rather than advertised rates. The HPI is based on prices actually paid by customers for 78,000 properties across 13,000 locations around the world. The international scale of Hotels.com (in terms of both customers and destinations) makes the Hotel Price Index one of the most comprehensive benchmarks available.

The good news for travelers is that hotels in destinations once considered an indulgence for the budget conscious are now also offering considerable savings.  Hotel prices are down significantly and cities worldwide include New York (30%); Beijing (32%), Sydney (30%); London (12%); Paris (18%); Dubai (26%) and Abu Dhabi (9%).

About the Hotel Price Index
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 in.

Full details of the Hotel Price Index can be found at http://www.hotels.co.uk/press/hotel-price-index.html

About Hotels.com
As part of the Expedia group which operates in all major markets, Hotels.com, the global hotels specialist, offers more than 100,000 quality hotels, B&Bs and serviced apartments worldwide. If a customer can find the same deal for less on a prepaid hotel, Hotels.com will match it. Hotels.com benefits from one of the largest hotel contracting teams in the industry negotiating the best rates for its customers, plus there are 1.3m reviews from users who have actually stayed in the hotels to ensure customers make an informed choice when booking. Travellers can book online or by contacting one of the multi-lingual call centres on 1800 419 4400.  The company currently operates 52 Hotels.com sites around the world including 13 sites in 8 languages across Asia Pacific alone.