Orlando and Atlanta Top the Hotwire 2013 Travel Value Index Study of Best U.S. Destinations for Your Vacation Dollar

SAN FRANCISCO, March 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Hotwire.com, a leading discount travel site, today announced the results of its seventh annual Hotwire® Travel Value Index study, naming Orlando and Atlanta as the top 2013 destinations where you can get the most vacation for your money. Just in time for spring break and the summer travel season, the Hotwire Travel Value Index showcases the top 10 cities where consumers planning their next trip can find the best combination of value, entertainment options and attractions throughout 2013. This year's index includes a variety of locations across the U.S., including four destinations – Phoenix, Raleigh, St. Louis and Sacramento – which Hotwire identified as up-and-coming "sleeper cities" earlier this year.

The Hotwire Travel Value Index is based on a statistical model combining both in-house and third-party research. Hotwire evaluates the top 50 U.S. leisure markets, rating them across three individual categories to generate an overall ranking for consumer vacation value. The formula includes:

• Low prices on air, hotel and rental car (50 percent of overall score)
• Discounts on air, hotel and rental car (25 percent of overall score)
• Affordable entertainment (25 percent of overall score)

"We all have travel budgets, it's just a question of how that matches up with the types of vacations we want to take," said Clem Bason, president of the Hotwire Group. "That's why we launched our Travel Value Index seven years ago; to help folks get more for their travel dollar, and maybe reach for a dream vacation they may have thought wasn't possible. We're delighted to hear that since then many travelers have used the findings to make informed travel decisions that resulted in great experiences without the big price tags."

Maintaining its top position for the second year in a row is Orlando, which tied for first with last year's number two destination, Atlanta. Both have a Travel Value Index of 100. These cities are perennial deal destinations for savvy travelers, having made the top 10 list for the past five years, and offer a variety of activities for all types of visitors. This year, Orlando's overall low prices and Atlanta's discount levels make them top value destinations. Meanwhile, Tampa moved up three spots from last year, and tied for second place with Dallas-Fort Worth, which dropped down one spot. Both of these popular cities scored an overall rating of 94 due to their respective low prices and discount ratings.

Four of the next six cities on the 2013 list were also given another travel honor earlier this year when they were named top Hotwire Sleeper Cities. These sleepers tend to be up-and-coming metros with a lot to offer, but have not yet found the mass travel audience to cause prices to spike. They're all great alternatives to bigger, more expensive cities, and folks should be able to get an unforgettable vacation at a fraction of the cost. Phoenix returns to the list in fifth with high marks for its entertainment value, followed by Raleigh, which has been absent from the TVI for several years. Rounding out the top 10 are newcomers/sleeper cities St. Louis and Sacramento, which received high marks for discounts and total scores of 82 and 79, respectively. Meanwhile, Charlotte and Houston make their reappearances in a tie for seventh place with an overall rating of 83 due in large part to their discounts.

According to the Hotwire Travel Value Index, the top 10 U.S. destinations for value vacations in 2013 include:

For over 12 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.

For more information about Hotwire's planning tools, visit:

http://www.hotwire.com/planning/index.jsp

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, Inc. obtains deep discounts from its travel suppliers to help travelers book unsold airline seats, hotel rooms and rental cars.  Hotwire.com is an award-winning website and Hotwire, Inc. is an operating company of Expedia, Inc. CST # 2029030-50.  NST: 20003-0209.  For more information, visit http://www.hotwire.com. Hotwire.com operates sites 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 and 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. © 2013 Hotwire, Inc.  All rights reserved. CST # 2053390-50.

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SOURCE Hotwire.com