Global hotel prices up by 2 pct

The survey mentions that prices had fallen so low during 2009 that despite the modest increase.

Global hotel prices rose by two percent in second financial quarter of 2010 compared to the same period a year earlier,a survey by a renowned hospitality website said.

The latest Hotel Price Index (HPI) by http://www.hotels.com revealed that this is for the first time that hotel prices rose Year-on-Year after seven consecutive quarters of price falls since the end of 2007.

The survey mentions that prices had fallen so low during 2009 that despite the modest increase,the average price of a hotel room was still lower than it was in 2004.

Story continues below this ad

The hotels.com HPI is a regular survey of hotel prices in major destinations across the world.

The HPI is based on bookings made on hotels.com and prices shown are those actually paid by customers in the first half of 2010.

In yet another aspect related to hospitality sector,the survey noted that Indian travellers spent on average Rs 6,816 when travelling overseas during Q2 2010,slotting them at number seven in the list of the world’s biggest spenders abroad.

The average price paid for a room in New York by Indian travellers was Rs 10,783 during Q2 2010,a rise of 20 per cent on the same period a year earlier.

Story continues below this ad

Las Vegas hotels saw the amount Indian travellers paid for their rooms rise some 31 percent between Q2 2009 and Q2 2010 to average Rs 6,100 this year.

In Asia Pacific,Singapore is at the top of the price scale,where Indian travellers spent Rs 7,949 per room per night,which is up by 27 per cent from the same period a year earlier,it mentions.

According to David Roche,President,Hotels.com,worldwide the hotel pricing trends,upto the end of Q2 of 2010,confirm that stabilisation has indeed been under way in the hotel industry,and that there are hints of recovery.

“However,while the HPI has shown a rise of two per cent,consumers should remember that hotel affordability across the world has not been this good since 2004,offering terrific opportunities to extend stays or trade up the star class,” he adds.

Story continues below this ad

Johan Svanstrom,Managing Director,Asia Pacific for Hotels.com,said that for hoteliers in the Asia Pacific region in particular,it is encouraging to see the global hotel market stabilising as confidence in the economy returns and consumers begin to travel again.

“For Indian travellers,there is an abundance of international and domestic destinations that offer value for money and will continue to do so for some time,” he said.