Hotel Price Index From Hotels.com Reveals U.S. Travelers Spent Their Money On Experiences Abroad

"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 3^rd), San Diego (ranked 4^th) and Chicago (ranked 5^th)
• 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 having passports 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 2^nd most visited country in the world, and 6^th 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 49^th), Ho Chi Minh City (ranked 34^th) and Bangkok (ranked 5^th) 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, and welcomed 35 million visitors from around the world 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 [email protected].

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;
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Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Hotels.com

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