The Hotel Price Index · 4 The Hotel Price Index Overview of hotel prices January to June 2009 1....

The Hotel Price IndexOverview of hotel prices January to June 2009

For four years, the hotels.com® Hotel Price Index (HPI) has produced a trusted survey of hotel prices in major city destinations across the world. Hotels.ca, part of the hotels.com worldwide group of sites, is pleased to present a Canadian version of the HPI, which focuses on data from Canadian travels. For the first time this year, the information detailed in this report is based on actual bookings made on both hotels.com and hotels.ca.

• The HPI tracks the real prices paid per room by hotels.ca and hotels.com customers around the world using a weighted average based on the number of rooms sold in each of the markets that the company operates in.

• Approximately 78,000 properties in more than 13,000 locations make up the sample set of hotels from which prices are taken.

• The prices shown are those actually paid by customers (rather than advertised rates), in the first six months of 2009 and therefore give an accurate reflection of hotel prices for the period.

The international scale of hotels.ca and hotels.com (in terms of both customers and destinations) makes the Hotel Price Index one of the most comprehensive benchmarks available, as it incorporates both chain and independent hotels, as well as specialty lodging options such as vacation rentals and bed and breakfast properties.

In North America, approximately 70 per cent of hotel rooms booked are in chain properties. The reverse is true of Europe where approximately 25 per cent of hotel rooms are part of a chain, the remainder being independent. In addition to the standard survey, the HPI includes occasional features on new or unusual booking and pricing trends.

Introduction

1The Hotel Price Index Overview of hotel prices January to June 2009

Not since 2001, has there been such a collapse – surely the word is justified – in global hotel prices. The dampening effect of falling consumer demand has been compounded by sharply increased hotel capacity. In the first half of 2009 an ever larger number of hotel rooms chased a dwindling stream of customers, and this ‘double whammy’ lowered prices by 17 per cent globally.

As demand fell, hoteliers closed floors and cut back both services and prices, creating a market with a distinctly promotional character that is likely to endure for some time. The HPI, based on the actual prices that consumers paid for their rooms, fully captures this new reality and is designed to allow the reader to sift the figures that are particularly relevant to them.

Three trends seem significant in the data. Firstly, travellers do take local pricing and the strength of their own currency into account when deciding where to go. We can see this in the increase in prices paid by U.K. travellers to destinations outside the Eurozone. The increase in demand to travel where the Pound has retained its strength has in turn pushed rates up. U.S. travellers have looked to domestic destinations more as the cost of overseas travel has been increased by other currencies’ gains in value against the U.S. Dollar.

Secondly, some traditionally expensive destinations have become more accessible. London has dropped out of the top ten table of most expensive destinations for continental Europeans, and New York no longer heads the price leagues. Dubai was one of the world’s most expensive places to stay until the second quarter, but prices have fallen at double digit rates since.

Lastly, corporate travel has been hit hardest, and has produced marked price cuts in business focused destinations as hoteliers struggle to attract some level of demand. Our city focus sections in Chapter 6 expand on this subject

Stepping back, it is not just hotel prices that have reduced, but so too have the prices of most primary travel goods (including car rental and air tickets). Yet the difficulties that the travel industry is experiencing are mirrored – but oppositely – as opportunities for consumers. In these times hotels.com is working harder than ever to surface those opportunities for hoteliers and consumers alike. Consumers have not seen prices this low since 2003, leading many commentators to propose that real value has returned to the hotel market. We think so too. It is time to travel again.

David RocheSeptember 2009

Foreword by David Roche President of hotels.com worldwide

2 The Hotel Price Index Overview of hotel prices January to June 2009

In the HPI report, we focus on two main sources of data:

The first section (chapter 1) shows the global Hotel Price Index up to and including Q2 2009.

The Index is compiled from all relevant transactions on hotels.ca and hotels.com, in local currency, weighted to reflect the size of each market. By representing hotel price movements in an index, hotels.ca and hotels.com can illustrate the actual price movements as experienced by consumers without foreign exchange fluctuations distorting the picture.

The Index was started in 2004 at 100, and includes all bookings across all star ratings. In 2006, the first HPI was published in the U.K. and Europe and today, fourteen editions of the HPI are now published globally, including Canada. Country versions reflecting hotel prices in local currencies are also available for the U.S., U.K., Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany/Austria/Switzerland, the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark.

The report largely compares prices paid in the first six months of 2009 with prices paid in the same period in 2008, thereby removing the effect of seasonality.

The second section (chapters 2-7) shows hotel prices across the world as paid by Canadian travellers in Canadian dollars. This shows the changes in real prices paid by consumers, reflecting both movements in exchange rates and hotel pricing. The prices shown are average prices paid by travellers between January and June 2009.


1. Global price changes in the first half of 2009 Overall

By region

2. Top global city destinations Prices across the world’s top cities

The world’s most expensive destinations

Greatest price rises and declines

3. Major global country comparisons Major country destinations

4. Prices in the top Canadian cities

5. Travel habits

6. City focus sections New York

Las Vegas

London

Dubai and Abu Dhabi

In this issue


1. Global price changes

According to the hotels.com Hotel Price Index, hotel prices around the world fell by 17 per cent in the first six months of 2009, when compared to the same period in 2008 – great news for travellers.

With the exception of the Caribbean, every major region around the world experienced the sharpest price falls since the hotels.com Hotel Price Index began in January 2004.

In Europe, North America and Latin America, hotel prices in spring/summer 2009 had fallen to levels well below those in 2004, meaning hotel room prices were at their lowest level for five years.

Latin American hotels saw the steepest price fall year-over-year (down 30 per cent), while North American hoteliers cut prices by 17 per cent. The average price for a hotel room in a European hotel was 16 per cent lower than it had been a year before.

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Asia EuropeCaribbean Latin America ROW North America

Figure 2 HPI by quarter, by region, Europe, N. America, Asia, the Rest of the World 2004-Q2 2009

North America prices continue to fall

• Prices paid by travellers for hotel rooms in North America (the U.S. and Canada) fell 17 per cent between Q2 2008 and Q2 2009.

• Falling hotel prices across North America reflect the impact of the economic slowdown and the reduction in demand for hotel rooms this caused.

• In Canada, the dollar hovered near-par with the U.S. in the first six months of 2008 yet dropped to as low as $.77 during the same time period in 2009. This – along with the new passport regulations for land crossings that came into effect as of June 1 of this year – may also have impacted travel decisions, subsequently affecting hotel occupancy rates.

• Prices for hotels in the Caribbean fell by two per cent year-over-year during the same period.

• Prices across Latin America fell furthest and fastest. They slumped by 30 per cent in the first half of 2009 when compared to the same period the year before – most likely to counter the anticipated effects of the H1N1 flu outbreak which started in Mexico in April.


Dramatic price cuts across Europe

• Prices paid by travellers for hotel rooms in Europe fell by 16 per cent between Q2 2008 and Q2 2009 as hoteliers cut their prices in an effort to stimulate occupancy rates during the economic downturn.

• The rate at which hotel prices fell accelerated as the global financial crisis took hold: in Q4 2008, prices dropped by nine per cent, in Q1 2009 by 14 per cent and in Q2 2009 by 16 per cent.

• The Hotel Price Index for Europe fell to 97 in Q2 2009 – down from 115 a year before: a stark illustration of how sharply hoteliers have had to cut prices to create good deals for travellers.

Asian prices follow the trend

• Prices in Asian hotels – which had been holding up better than those in North America or Europe – tumbled in the first half of 2009, falling 15 per cent when compared to the same period one year earlier.


2. Top city destinations around the world

This section (and those that follow) reflects the real Canadian prices paid by travellers from Canada booking on hotels.ca between January and June 2009 – compared to prices paid in Canadian dollars during the same period a year before.

While weighted prices for hotel rates worldwide have fallen (across all regions, weighted to remove the impact of currency fluctuation), the story for Canadian travellers is far less consistent.

On the whole, the first six months of 2009 saw hotel prices falling for Canadian travellers in most destinations compared to the year before. Canadian travellers paid up to 27 per cent less in the first half of 2009 for a one-night stay in most of the most expensive cities than they did in the same period in 2008.

Of all destinations booked on hotels.ca, Canadian travellers spent the most on hotel rooms in Cancun, Mexico during the first half of 2009, even though this resort destination was less expensive than in 2008. On average, Canadian vacationers spent $254 per night, despite the initial outbreak of the H1N1 flu in Mexico. In fact, according to data from the May 2009 issue of Outbound Canada, only 17 per cent indicated they were unwilling to travel due to concerns related to the H1N1 virus.

The major European cities dominate the list of the most expensive destinations for Canadian travellers, with Venice ($244), Copenhagen ($230), Paris ($221), Rome ($216), London ($199), and Amsterdam ($192) all featuring in the top 10 most expensive major global cities.

New York’s hotels continued to command a premium from travellers, meaning the city retained its relatively high position among the most costly destinations in the world. The city was third in the list of most expensive destinations, with an average price of $242 per night during the first six months of 2009.

Dubai also features in the top five most expensive destinations for Canadians, despite price falls of 10 per cent, with hotels costing travellers an average $232 per night.


The greatest price rises among the world’s top cities

• Prices in just three of the major global city destinations rose between the first half of 2008 and the same period this year for Canadian travellers.

• Prices in Shanghai rose by 24 per cent – the highest price rise among the top global city destinations – as new hotels came on-stream offering travellers a taste of the high life in the city during 2009.

• Prices in Los Angeles and Bangkok were also up – though by a far smaller degree – rising four per cent between the first half of 2008 and the same period in 2009.

Figure 4 The biggest price rises in Jan-June 2009, compared to the same period in 2008

City

Average price per room per night

Jan-June 2009


Jan-June 2008% Change

year-over-year

Shanghai $141 $114 24%Los Angeles $165 $158 4%Bangkok $123 $118 4%

Figure 3 Average hotel prices for Jan-June 2009, compared to the same period in 2008

City

Average price per room per night Jan-Jun

2009


2008% Change

year-over-year City


2009


2008% Change

year-over-yearCancun $254 $258 -2% Budapest $154 $171 -10%Venice $244 $293 -17% Munich $152 $194 -21%New York $242 $290 -16% Vienna $152 $186 -19%Dubai $232 $256 -10% Dublin $149 $170 -12%Copenhagen $230 $240 -4% Calgary $148 $171 -14%Paris $221 $222 -1% Sydney $147 $163 -10%Rome $216 $230 -6% Madrid $145 $172 -15%London $199 $236 -16% Vancouver $144 $160 -10%Amsterdam $192 $208 -8% Ottawa $143 $146 -2%Boston $189 $206 -8% Shanghai $141 $114 24%Edinburgh $185 $220 -16% Montreal $140 $153 -8%Athens $180 $183 -2% Prague $139 $162 -14%Barcelona $178 $223 -20% Toronto $134 $149 -10%Chicago $178 $201 -12% Niagara Falls $132 $134 -1%Tokyo $178 $180 -1% Berlin $130 $162 -20%Singapore $170 $197 -14% Hong Kong $126 $138 -9%Frankfurt $169 $192 -12% Beijing $125 $143 -13%Stockholm $166 $210 -21% Mexico City $124 $156 -20%Los Angeles $165 $158 4% Bangkok $123 $118 4%San Francisco $157 $172 -9% Las Vegas $110 $130 -16%Quebec City $155 $175 -12%


The greatest price falls among the world’s top cities

• Canadians paid less per night in the vast majority of major city destinations in the first half of 2009 when compared with average spends per night in the same period a year before.

• European cities were those where the greatest falls in average spend by Canadian travellers were experienced – with Mexico City, New York and Las Vegas being the only non-European cities in the list of top-10 fallers.

• There were falls across the major European centres in Germany, Sweden, Austria and Spain. The average spend by Canadian travellers fell by a fifth or more in popular cities including Berlin, Barcelona and Vienna.

• Hoteliers in New York and Las Vegas have also had to cut rates during the downturn to retain occupancy levels, and Canadian travellers were able to spend a sixth (16 per cent) less in 2009 than in 2008.

• The hotels.ca Hotel Price Index demonstrates that, for savvy travellers who pick the right destinations, there are some great bargains to be found. For those who can, there hasn’t been a better time to travel in recent years when it comes to value for accommodation.

Figure 5 The biggest price falls in Jan-June 2009, compared to the same period in 2008

City


Jan-June 2009



year-over-year

Munich $152 $194 -21%Stockholm $166 $210 -21%Barcelona $178 $223 -20%Mexico City $124 $156 -20%Berlin $130 $162 -20%Vienna $152 $186 -19%Venice $244 $293 -17%New York $242 $290 -16%Edinburgh $185 $220 -16%Las Vegas $110 $130 -16%


3. Major global country comparisons

Canadian travellers cut their average hotel-room spend in every major country destination in the first half of 2009, when compared with the amounts that they spent in the same period last year.

Hotels.ca believes that travellers opted to maintain the quality of their accommodation but that, thanks to the combination of a relatively strong currency and falling rates from hoteliers, they were able to spend less to get the same.

Leading the falls were hotels in the U.K., where Canadians spent 17 per cent per night less on average – in large part thanks to the weaker British Pound, which meant that, for travellers from overseas, hotel rooms became less expensive across the board.

Spanish hotels were cheaper by a similar proportion to the U.K. as hoteliers across the country cut rates to maintain occupancy.

The countries in which Canadian travellers were willing to spend the most on hotels were Italy and France – where Canadians spent $208 and $205 per night for hotels, respectively.

By contrast, China was the major country destination in which Canadian travellers spent the least, needing to part with just $129 for a room for the night.

Figure 6 Average room prices and changes Jan-June 2009 for major country destinations

Country


Jan-June 2009



year-over-year

Italy $208 $227 -8%France $205 $207 -1%Mexico $199 $203 -2%United Kingdom $186 $224 -17%Brazil $181 $194 -6%Japan $177 $176 0%Spain $161 $194 -17%United States $160 $169 -6%Germany $159 $177 -10%CANADA $142 $153 -7%Australia $141 $162 -13%China $129 $135 -4%


4. Prices in the top Canadian cities

The data below is based on actual bookings made by Canadian travellers compared year over year from 2008 to 2009. Canadians paid the most for resort destinations, such as the Lake Louise/Banff region, Whistler, Collingwood and Mont Tremblant, where prices remained the highest in the country despite a year over year drop, in one case as high as 27 per cent.

A decline in business travel, fewer American visitors to Canada and an abundance of hotel rooms in larger cities like Toronto may also be indicative of the lower prices seen in some of the major city centres.

Due to the huge range of properties and destinations that hotels.ca offers across Canada, we cannot include commentary and insight into every Canadian city destination in this report. If you have specific questions about the data reported here, please refer to the contact information on page 19 of this document.

Figure 7 Average prices paid by travellers staying in major Canadian cities in Jan-June 2009, compared to the same period in 2008

City


Jan-June 2009



year-over-year

Lake Louise $228 $241 -5%Mont Tremblant $187 $195 -4%Collingwood $182 $214 -15%Jasper $179 $229 -22%Whistler $173 $235 -27%Banff $171 $172 -0%Kelowna $164 $155 6%Halifax $155 $156 -0%Quebec City $155 $175 -12%Calgary $148 $171 -14%Vancouver $144 $160 -10%Ottawa $143 $146 -2%Montreal $140 $153 -8%Winnipeg $140 $143 -2%Edmonton $135 $150 -10%Toronto $134 $149 -10%Niagara Falls $132 $134 -1%Victoria $130 $141 -8%Kamloops $125 $118 6%

Figure 8 Greatest price falls between Jan-June 2008 and Jan-June 2009 across major Canadian cities

City


Jan-June 2009



year-over-year

Whistler $173 $235 -27%Jasper $179 $229 -22%Collingwood $182 $214 -15%Calgary $148 $171 -14%Quebec City $155 $175 -12%London $109 $122 -11%Vancouver $144 $160 -10%Edmonton $135 $150 -10%Toronto $134 $149 -10%


Top Canadian destinations for Canadian travellers

Toronto topped the table of favourite domestic destinations for Canadian leisure and business travellers, ahead of near-rivals Montreal and Vancouver.

The major cities dominate the top of the list, but are joined by Niagara Falls and Banff in the top 10 as vacationers sought out the best of outdoor life – and in the case of the latter destination, the fresh powder snow during the winter ski season.

5. Travel habits

Figure 9 Top Canadian destinations for domestic Canadian travellersRank City

1 Toronto2 Montreal3 Vancouver4 Niagara Falls5 Calgary6 Ottawa7 Banff8 Edmonton9 Victoria10 Quebec City

Top international destinations for Canadian travellers

New York topped Canadians’ list of top international destinations, ahead of Seattle and Las Vegas as destinations over the border to the U.S. made up the top three cities.

There were only two destinations outside North America on the list – London and Paris – demonstrating the continuing pull of the European tourist cities for Canadian travellers.

Figure 10 Top international destinations for Canadian travellersRank City Country

1 New York United States2 Seattle United States3 Las Vegas United States4 London United Kingdom5 San Francisco United States6 Los Angeles United States7 Orlando United States8 Chicago United States9 Buffalo United States10 Paris France


Top Canadian destinations for international travellers

Canada’s major cities were at the top of the table for visitors from overseas – with Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal taking the top spots.

Figure 11 Top Canadian destinations for international travellersRank City

1 Toronto2 Vancouver3 Montreal4 Niagara Falls5 Victoria6 Calgary7 Ottawa8 Banff9 Edmonton10 Quebec


Focus on New York

6. City focus sections

In the first half of 2009, New York overtook Las Vegas as the U.S. city experiencing the fastest growth in hotel rooms. Current figures show that a total of 38 new properties will open in 2009, increasing the number of hotel rooms in the city by nearly 8,000.

However, occupancy rates in the first half of 2009 were down by five per cent* compared to the same period a year before, mainly fuelled by a downturn in business travel. Leisure travel to the city proved more resilient.

It was the luxury end of the New York market (three to five-star hotels) that saw the most pronounced changes: prices fell furthest but booking numbers increased the most. Savvy travellers realized their money could now buy a higher category hotel, and that lower rates would allow them to stay longer.

Hoteliers have also had to compete harder for visitors as central Manhattan hotels lowered their rates to levels usually found in outer boroughs such as Brooklyn and Queens.

The number of flights into New York has been cut by approximately three to five per cent but, luckily for the consumer, flight prices have not risen to reflect this. In fact, flight prices to New York are currently the lowest they have been for some time.

These decreases in flight and hotel rates plus the abundance of hotel rooms and competition between properties all add up to paint a rosy picture for the traveller.

*Data sourced from NYC and company


2009 – A dawn of change for Las Vegas

Glitz, glamour, gambling and a guaranteed good time, Las Vegas is the ultimate indulgence destination for travellers who want to get away from it all. But under the baize of the gambling tables a quiet revolution is taking place --one that puts the betting chip firmly back in the hands of the consumer.

The hotel landscape of the United States’ most glamorous city has changed since the global recession dawned in 2008. Traditionally one of the largest markets for Las Vegas has been the convention and meeting trade, but in 2008 the number of events held in the city dropped by almost six per cent*, leading to a steep fall in the prices of average hotel room rates as hoteliers competed to try to keep their occupancy levels constant. So far in 2009 the convention market is showing little sign of recovery, with trade in this sector down more than 22 per cent* to date year over year.

A decline in visitor numbers is also having an effect on the average room night in the city. To date in 2009 the total visitor numbers --incorporating the leisure, business and convention markets --are sitting almost seven per cent* lower than the same period in 2008.

While these factors combined may paint a rather gloomy picture for business in Las Vegas, it places the consumer in a very strong position. Travellers can now snap up rooms on the world famous strip for a fraction of the prices seen in recent years – and as hotels pull out all the stops to attract guests, an unprecedented amount of promotional offers are available.

Room night prices in the city have reached a plateau and as hotels look to protect their margins, Vegas has seen a rise in the number of hotels across the spectrum of star ratings bring in a number of added value offers designed to tempt travellers. These range from free nights for returning visitors and casino credits to complimentary spa treatments and food and drink vouchers.

As travellers benefit from great prices and added value offers, they are also experiencing a greater choice in properties as hotel construction in the city remains at a high level. Second only to New York, the number of hotel rooms in Vegas rose by over 7,000 in 2008 with a further 5,000 forecasted by the end of 2009.

*Data sourced from the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority

Focus on Las Vegas


Traditionally regarded as one of the most expensive cities in the world, London has long been seen as an aspirational destination. Yet, the changes in the global economic landscape and fluctuations in foreign exchange rates have made London a much more accessible destination in 2009.

As the 2012 Olympic Games approach, hotel room supply in the city has steadily been increasing. In 2008 more than 3,000 new rooms were added and in 2009 an additional 3,400 are forecast.

As hotel prices continue to fall and hotels in the city usher in special offers and deals, consumers are starting to recognize how far their vacation budget will go. One of the most pronounced changes experienced by London’s hotel market has been that visitors can upgrade the star rating of hotel or the room category for little additional money.

The visitor profile in the city has also undergone a number of changes. While visitor numbers in general have dropped by just over nine per cent* compared to last year, the mix of where those visitors are coming from has also changed. The strength of the Euro against the Pound has seen visitors from Europe remain resilient, down just over three per cent year over year, while visitors from the U.S. and Canada, once a strong market, fell steeply at around 20 per cent* year over year. One origination market that has grown for London is the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where visitors have increased just over six per cent* from 2008 to 2009.

*Data sourced from Visit London

Focus on London


While both lie in the UAE, the changes in the visitor landscape of Abu Dhabi and Dubai couldn’t be more different. The effects of the global economic downturn were felt later in the Middle East than in the rest of the world with the slowdown not making a major impact until Q4 2008.

Being mainly a business destination, Abu Dhabi kept its early 2009 hotel market relatively buoyant, maintaining high numbers of business travellers and MICE (Meetings – Incentives – Conferences – Events) trade. This, coupled with a low inventory of rooms across the destination, meant that average room night rates stayed high. By Q2 2009 however, room rates started dropping in Abu Dhabi as the economic downturn affected the number of business travellers visiting the UAE.

Just 119 km away, the picture in Dubai was very different. Hotel prices in Dubai fell sharply in Q1 2009 as the UAE became something of a victim of its own success. The global downturn coupled with an over-supply of hotel rooms, meant hotel rates dropped dramatically. The number of hotel rooms in the city had grown exponentially increasing by 16 per cent* throughout 2008 with 2009 looking set to keep pace.

In Q2 2009, the sharp price drops in Dubai begin to soften slightly as hoteliers adjusted to the rapidly changing economic situation. However, with more and more promotions from hoteliers trying to attract customers, there has never been a better time for travellers to stay in some of the world’s top properties for a great price.

Visitors to Dubai are also changing, and airlines to the Emirates are reporting an increasing demand for flights from Canadian travellers.

*Data from the Government of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Management

Focus on Abu Dhabi and Dubai


About the Hotel Price Index (HPI)

In the HPI report, we focus on two main sources of data:

The first section (chapter 1) shows the global Hotel Price Index up to and including Q2 2009.

The Index is compiled from all relevant transactions on hotels.ca and hotels.com, in local currency, weighted to reflect the size of each market. By representing hotel price movements in an index, hotels.ca and hotels.com can illustrate the actual price movements as experienced by consumers without foreign exchange fluctuations distorting the picture.

The Index was started in 2004 at 100, and includes all bookings across all star ratings. In 2006, the first HPI was published in the U.K. and Europe and today, 14 editions of the HPI are now published globally, including Canada. Country versions reflecting hotel prices in local currencies are also available for the U.S., U.K., Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany/Austria/Switzerland, the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark.

The report largely compares prices paid in the first six months of 2009 with prices paid in the same period in 2008, thereby removing the effect of seasonality.

The second section (chapters 2-7) shows hotel prices across the world as paid by Canadian travellers in Canadian Dollars. This shows the changes in real prices paid by consumers, reflecting both movements in exchange rates and hotel pricing. The prices shown are average prices paid by travellers between January and June 2009.

About hotels.ca

Hotels.ca is part of hotels.com worldwide group of sites, a leading provider of worldwide accommodations to Canadians, offering reservation services through its website at www.hotels.ca and its toll-free call centre at 1-800-CA-HOTELS (1-800-224-6835). Hotels.ca offers travellers the widest selection of accommodations – from traditional hotels to vacation rentals – at over 99,000 properties in Canada, the United States, Europe, and around the world. The company offers a one-stop shopping source for hotel availability, amenities and pricing in Canadian dollars. Hotels.ca is a brand owned and operated by Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE).

Hotels.com currently operates 52 sites around the world.


The Guest Advocate

Hotels.ca wants all guests to have a positive lodging experience, and serves as their advocate before, during and after the stay. These compelling points encourage guests to book with hotels.ca every time they travel, regardless of the purpose of their trip:

1) No charges to book by phone – There is never an extra fee to book by phone. Hotels.ca specialists are available around the clock to assist travellers before, during and after their trips. Just call 1-800-CA-HOTELS.

2) Lowest Price Guarantee – Prepaid bookings are guaranteed to be at the lowest available rate. If a guest finds a lower rate for the same property and travel dates, hotels.ca will credit the difference. Plus, the guarantee covers guests right up until the property’s cancellation deadline.

3) No change/cancel fees – Guests may revise or cancel their reservations without any penalty from hotels.ca.

4) Guest reviews – Only guests who have booked with hotels.ca and hotels.com and completed their stay may post reviews to the site. People viewing guest content therefore know they are reading relevant, qualified feedback. In addition, the site is supplemented with TripAdvisor® reviews so guests have easy access to a comprehensive resource to help choose their hotel.

For further information or to request an interview, please contact:

Melissa Legaspi [email protected] 416.979.1120 ext. 272

hotels.com, welcomerewards and the hotels.com logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of hotels.com, LP, a subsidiary of hotels.com. Other logos or products and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners. © 2009 hotels.com, LP. All rights reserved. CST # 2083949-50

The Hotel Price Index · 4 The Hotel Price Index Overview of hotel prices January to June 2009 1....

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