Hotwire Reveals September 2011 Travel Savings Indicator

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hotwire.com®, a leading discount travel site, today released the September 2011 Hotwire® Travel Savings Indicator, which features the top five cities in North America where hotel, air and car rental rates have dropped the most. Using extensive pricing research to cover the three most popular travel products, the report helps guide travelers to the best destinations to maximize their travel dollars each month. Hawaii maintains its status as a hot deal market in September, as air and car prices continue to drop. Meanwhile, several new cities join each list.

"Now that the summer rush has passed and Hurricane Irene is behind us, prices are coming down in plenty of destinations across the country, and some are dropping more than average," said Clem Bason, President of the Hotwire Group. "Many cities on the East Coast, including Arlington and Washington, D.C., are offering deep discounts for travelers as these locales continue to feel the effect of Hurricane Irene's bad press, which drove demand down to many areas. But West Coast destinations, such as Hawaii and Napa, also continue to offer great savings this month."

Hotel Price Drops

With a 13 percent decrease, family-friendly Rochester, New York tops the list this month for hotel price decreases. In addition to Irene curbing demand, more budget-friendly properties have come into the online market, causing some stiff competition for other hotels at higher star levels. Rochester is home to numerous cultural institutions and is a great choice for families looking for a less expensive vacation alternative. Coming in at second place with an eight percent decrease is Williamsburg, Virginia. Williamsburg is experiencing softer demand this year versus 2010, especially with Irene recently causing hotels in the region to lower prices.

Branson, Missouri and Napa, California both make the list again this month, with a six and five percent decrease, respectively. Lively Branson is a great alternative to more expensive prices in nearby Springfield, and continues to see lower prices due to a competitive hotel environment. Napa continues to experience lower than normal group travel rates, which is typically rare during this time of year. However, their peak season picks up in October, so travelers should take advantage now while rates are low.

Dropping from first place in August, Santa Fe, New Mexico rounds out the top five with a five percent decrease. The news of the fires that hit a couple months ago continues to have an effect on demand in the area and hotels are now dropping rates even further to keep rooms filled.  

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

Air Price Drops

This month, several alternative air hubs to major destinations make the list. Coming in at first place with an eight percent decrease is Arizona's second largest city, Tucson. Three cities are tied for second place this month with a four percent decrease each, including Burbank, California and Hawaii's Big Island, which appeared on the August list as well. Both are great alternatives for travelers, as nearby Los Angeles International Airport is consistently rated one of the busiest in the nation, and flights in and out of Kailua Kona make for an easy island-hopping adventure. Oakland, California is the other second place tie and follows suit as a great alternative airport to San Francisco. Following closely behind with a three percent decrease is Vancouver, British Columbia, which rounds out this month's top five.

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

Car Rental Price Drops

As the industry heads into shoulder season and rental car companies adjust their inventory in preparation for fewer renters.  This transitional time also provides a great opportunity to score bargains before the inventory shifts are completed. Rental providers will often use discount channels such as Hotwire to book excess product, giving consumers a chance of finding great deals this month. In addition, Hurricane Irene caused a downward spike in rental demand for many popular East Coast cities, including Washington D.C. and Arlington, VA, which come in at second and fourth place this month. With a 53 percent decrease this month, Honolulu, Hawaii keeps its claim of first place this month and reaffirms Hawaii as a hot deal market. Las Vegas, Nevada is a close runner up, jumping up one spot from last month with a 52 percent decrease.

When compared to the same time last year, the top five car rental price reductions for September 2011 include:

For over 10 years, Hotwire has worked with hotels, airlines and car rental companies to fill 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 Travel Savings Indicator

The Hotwire Travel Savings Indicator runs results during the second week of each month. Results are calculated by looking at Hotwire booking data 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 categories (e.g., star rating, class of car) for consistency, and the percent change in price for each region is generated as an overall average of the changes in those categories. The hotel prices in the charts above are examples for a particular Hot Rate deal within that market. The airfare and car rental prices are average prices based on bookings across all car and seat classes. Actual prices may be higher or lower than the examples that are 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 sites operates in 8 countries worldwide: www.hotwire.com, www.hotwire.com/uk, www.hotwire.com/ie, www.hotwire.com/au, www.hotwire.com/nz, www.hotwire.com/se, www.hotwire.com/no and www.hotwire.com/dk.   In addition to Hotwire, The Hotwire Group of websites includes: www.hotwire.com, www.travel-ticker.com, www.carrentals.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.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2011 Hotwire, Inc.  All rights reserved. CST# 2053390-40.

Contact:
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SOURCE Hotwire.com