Latest Hotel Price Index from Hotels.com Reveals Strong U.S. Dollar Brings Increase in U.S. Traveler Confidence

DALLAS, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Good news for travelers coming from the latest Hotels.com® Hotel Price Index™ (HPI®) with average prices paid per night for hotel accommodation up only 1% globally in 2015 as compared to 2014. The global Index sat at 114 for 2015 and is closing the gap on the previous peak seen in 2007, the year before the global economic crisis. North America drove the global increase as the only region to see hotel prices rise (up 3%) throughout 2015 with the Index hitting 119, exceeding its pre-recession high of 117 in 2007.

Travel in the U.S.A. – American travelers focused on domestic destinations in 2015 despite an increase in prices paid* for hotel stays.

• 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 #2 U.S. domestic location despite relatively high hotel prices, an increase in supply helped lower the average hotel prices paid per night
• Next on the list of the 30 Most Popular Domestic Destinations for American Travelers were Orlando (3^rd),  San Diego (4^th) and Los Angeles (5^th)
• According to the National Park Service, The Grand Canyon National Park surpassed 5 million annual recreation visits for the first time in 2015. The Index reported a 13% increase for the area with a $116 average price paid per night. 
• The best value hotel rooms were in Reno, Albuquerque and Jacksonville with prices paid per night under $100.

More Poutine Please – Major sporting events, quick Midwestern trips up north and the weakness in the Canadian dollar gave American travelers more opportunities to explore Toronto and Montreal. Travelers received the best value in Toronto at $148 average price paid per night and an overall 5% decrease in 2015.  

An American in…Mexico – The strength of the U.S. Dollar in 2015 meant that travelers paid less for hotel accommodations in 40 of the 50 Most Popular International Destinations. Los Cabos, Riviera Maya and Cancun had the highest prices paid in 2015 with rates $200+ (proof that Americans love all-inclusive resorts and endless margaritas!). Bogota, the capital of Colombia, experienced the steepest price paid decrease with a 21% change. Americans padded their savings with travels to Brazil as the Brazilian Real continued to slide against the U.S. Dollar. Rio de Janeiro saw a 30% decrease with an average price paid of $179.

European Vacation – London was the top international destination for Americans despite having the highest price paid of $257 when compared to other European cities. Popular German cities, Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich saw more decreases as travelers paid $131 per night in Berlin. Backpackers and deal hunters rejoiced in Paris and Rome as the Index reported double digit changes for two of the most popular European destinations in 2015.

Stretching the Budget in Asia – American travelers visited Asia for lower hotel prices, Instagram-worthy beaches and excellent shopping. The HPI reported the lowest average prices paid per night in South Korea and Thailand where travelers paid an average of $91 in Thailand's capital, Bangkok. Tourism in Japan is booming with numbers up more than 40% in 2015, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization, which placed Tokyo as #7 on the popularity list for U.S. travelers. The average price paid per night in Tokyo was $177 with a 2% decrease from 2014.

About the HPI
The HPI is a regular report on hotel prices in major destinations across the world, tracking the movement in prices that people actually paid for their accommodation and providing valuable insight into the reasons behind these changes. The data is drawn from bookings made on the hundreds of thousands of hotels on the Hotels.com websites worldwide.

Please visit http://hpi.hotels.com/us-h22015/ for more information and to view reports in additional currencies.

*Average prices paid per night inclusive of taxes and fees.

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Hotels.com L.P. operates Hotels.com, a leading online accommodation booking website with properties ranging from international chains and all-inclusive resorts to local favorites and bed & breakfasts, together with all the information needed to book the perfect stay. Special apps for mobile phones and tablets can also be downloaded enabling customers to book on the go with access to 20,000 last minute deals.

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SOURCE Hotels.com