The average price of a Canadian hotel room fell by 8% in 2009 according to the Hotel Price Index (HPI) just released by Hotels.ca. The site is part of the Hotels.com worldwide group and conducts a regular survey of prices paid for hotels in major destinations around the world.
In Canada, the HPI(TM) shows that Halifax and Quebec City had the highest nightly room rates of major Canadian cities compared to 2008, at an average price per room of $154. Vancouver and Calgary were the third and fourth most expensive major Canadian cities with an average room rate price of $146. Montreal rounded out the top five with a nightly room rate of $144. Toronto placed eighth on the list at an average price of $135. The most expensive Canadian destinations were outdoor adventure/ski locations such as Lake Louise, AB ($236), Mont Tremblant, QC ($209) and Collingwood, ON ($202).
The Hotels.ca HPI tracks the real prices paid per hotel room rather than advertised rates. It is based on prices actually paid by customers for 94,000 hotels across 16,000 locations around the world.
Worldwide, hotel rates fell by 7% in the fourth quarter, compared to a 14% decline in quarter three, a 17% decline in quarter two and a 16% decline in quarter one.
"Step inside the time machine, turn the dial back to 2003, and compare hotel prices then and now. What's changed? Not much. Our latest Hotel Price Index, covering all of 2009, shows that prices fell globally by 14% on already weak 2008 figures, bringing consumer prices back to levels not seen since 2003," said David Roche, President of Hotels.com worldwide. 'Despite some possible first signs of hotel prices recovering in Europe and the US in the last quarter of 2009, the promotions and great value look set to continue for some time yet. 2010 promises to be another great year for the traveller."
