Hotwire Reveals Canadian Hotel Rate Report for July 2012
Hotwire.com®, a leading discount travel site, today announced the results of the July 2012 Hotwire® Canadian Hotel Rate Report, which features the top five cities in Canada where hotel rates have dropped the most.
When combined with Hotwire’s already discounted prices, the Hotel Rate Report helps guide customers to the destinations that can maximize their travel dollars.
For the first time in Canadian Hotel Rate Report history, Charlottetown tops the list at number one with a fourteen percent price drop. Known as the “Birthplace of Confederation” after the historic 1864 Charlottetown Conference, Charlottetown, the largest city on Prince Edward Island, isn’t getting as many U.S. tourists as it usually does during the summer. Instead, Americans seem to be taking advantage of the weaker Euro and heading overseas, so travellers should take advantage of this popular leisure city before rates rise.
Following Charlottetown, Kitchener joins the report for the first time since May 2011, coming in second place with a nine percent drop and Vancouver, absent from the list since November, comes in third with a five percent drop.Vancouver saw a very busy summer last year, but this year the demand doesn’t seem to be materializing which is affecting prices. Both cities offer a wide array of outdoor activities in idyllic settings. Situated between Lakes Ontario and Huron, Kitchener hosts a multitude of outdoor summer festivals, between which travellers can cool off at one of the city’s free splashpads or canoe down Grand River. Likewise, Vancouver visitors can hike Grouse Grind’s (the peak of Vancouver) many challenging trails, and cross the 230 foot-high Capilano Suspension Bridge for three distinct, picturesque views of the city.
Winnipeg and Edmonton round out the top five this month, both with four percent price drops. Known as one Canada’s most culturally diverse cities, Winnipeg is home to a vibrant art, theater and music scene, as well as a wide array of dining options for the foodie traveller. Located on the North Saskatchewan River, Edmonton reappears on the report after a one month absence. Nicknamed “the Festival City” for year-round celebrations, Edmonton experiences weaker demand during summer when the city isn’t as busy with corporate and group travellers.
Hotwire is able to find great deals because it works with hotels, airlines and car rental companies to fill unsold inventory. This means customers can find incredibly low deals on Hotwire, especially in cities like those on the Hotel Rate Report where prices are unseasonably low.
When compared to the same time last year, the top five hotel price reductions for July 2012 include:
| Rank | Hotel Market | Price Drop | Example of a Current Hotwire Deal, CAD$/Night | |
| 1 | Charlottetown, PE | -14% | 3-star | $119 |
| 2 | Kitchener, ON | -9% | 3-star | $90 |
| 3 | Vancouver, BC | -5% | 4-star | $126 |
| 4 | Winnipeg, MN | -4% | 3.5-star | $100 |
| 5 | Edmonton, AL | -4% | 3.5-star | $93 |
“With a strengthening dollar against the euro, many Americans are travelling further afield, resulting in less traffic to many popular Canadian cities. This is creating real value season in Canada for travellers seeking mid-summer trips,” said Pierre-Etienne Chartier, vice president of the Hotwire Group. “Now is the time to take advantage of deals in cities that rarely make the report, like Charlottetown and Vancouver, and plan a summer getaway at prices much lower than last year.”
