Mediaboss Marketing

LONDON, March 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Global room rate increases 4% in 2011, says new Hotels.comHotel Price Index (HPI)

Cash-strapped UK travellers faced hotel price rises last year in more than two thirds of their favourite destinations, according to a new global report released today.

The latest Hotels.com Hotel Price Index (HPI), the most comprehensive survey of room rates in the world, reveals increases in 69 of the 88 city or resort locations analysed across the world.

The fluctuating value of the Pound and a growing demand for hotels, especially from international business executives, helped to push up the global average price by 4%. However, this masked some dramatic swings in the cost of accommodation caused by historic political events including the Arab Spring and natural disasters such as the Japanese earthquake.

David Roche, President of Hotels.com, which scrutinised prices paid in 142,000 properties in over 85 countries, said: "Price volatility in 2011 meant UK travellers found it more expensive to stay in the majority of their favourite destinations abroad.

"A variety of factors, including currency movements and a growth in corporate travel, pushed up prices at a time when many consumers were already struggling to pay their bills at home.

"However, it must be stressed that room rates were still generally lower than they were in 2005 meaning hotels represented outstanding value for the hard-pressed holidaymaker looking to escape austerity Britain."

Last year, prices fell 2% in Asia year-on-year but rose in all other areas: 8% in the Pacific, 5% in North America, 4% in Latin America, 3% in the Caribbean and 2% in Europe and the Middle East.

Demand rises in US cities

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UK Travellers Hit by Hotel Price Rises in Majority of Favourite Destinations