Hotwire Reveals Hotel Rate Report for April 2011

SAN FRANCISCO, April 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hotwire.com®, a leading discount travel site, today announced the results of the April 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:

Travelers looking to visit some of America's top tourist attractions can do so at great values this month. Flagstaff and San Antonio both appear on this month's list and are gateways to several must-see destinations. Outdoor enthusiasts looking to visit the Grand Canyon, Sedona and Northern Arizona can easily base themselves in Flagstaff, which is experiencing a nine percent drop. Those looking to take in some American history instead can visit the Alamo and other landmarks of our pioneer past in San Antonio, which has a five percent drop. The decrease in hotel rates is mainly due to less group travel business this year. In response, certain hotels are aggressively pricing rooms and providing good deals.

Vancouver slips from the number one spot to the number five spot this month with a three percent drop. Good hotel deals are still available as Vancouver recovers from the Olympic fever that drove room rates through the roof even after the games ended.  

The most significant drop this month is Syracuse, N.Y., which is experiencing a 23 percent decline in room rates, making April the perfect time to visit friends or family matriculating at Syracuse University, get tickets to the opera, symphony and theater, and explore the historic lakefront and nearby Hudson River Valley.  

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

Top Five Price Increases:

This month's price increase list features a three-way tie between Oahu, New Orleans, and Phoenix, all of which sport 23 percent increases. Last month's number one, Oahu, continues to top the list in April as grade-school spring breaks bring more sun-seekers to drive hotel demand. New Orleans moves up from second on last month's price drop list to tie Oahu. New Orleans is booming right now, mostly driven by stronger group travel business than it experienced last year, one of the biggest Mardi Gras celebrations the city has ever seen and a highly-anticipated JazzFest at the end of the month.

Both Miami, which hits the list at number four with a 21 percent increase, and Las Vegas, which is number five on the list with a 20 percent increase, have seen a boost in group and leisure travel compared to last year. More conventions and spring breaking families mean rising rates.  

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

"A rise in group, leisure and spring break travel have driven rates up in some of the most popular vacation destinations, but travelers can still find steals if they look in the right places," said Clem Bason, President of the Hotwire Group. "We're seeing low hotel rates in historic cities that are close to national parks and monuments in both the Northeast and Southwest. These destinations can make for great family trips over April vacation."

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.

Contact:
Andrew Reynolds
Atomic PR
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SOURCE Hotwire.com