NORTH AMERICA Hawaii hoteliers received a rare dose of good news in the latest average rate report from discount online travel agency Hotwire, which lists Honolulu as having the biggest year-over-year increase in booked hotel rates in North America in January.
Honolulu rates are up 20% compared to January 2010, with a 3.5-star hotel guestroom costing US$118 on Hotwire this month. Hawaii is seeing an increase in leisure travel this month due to various air travel promotions.
Placing second on the list is Miami, which is up 18%, with a 4-star guestroom averaging US$95. Hotels are filled to capacity as the city continues to hold business conventions and host popular leisure events such as Art Deco Weekend and the Orange Bowl.
Rounding out the top five this month are Providence, Rhode Island (up 17%), Montreal (up 17%) and Toronto (up 16%).
On the other end of the spectrum, the biggest average rate drops are found in secondary and tertiary markets. Flagstaff, Arizona, leads the rate-drop list, falling 12% from last year, with a 3-star guestroom on Hotwire going for US$83. Rates in Key West, Florida, are down 11%, followed by Albuquerque, New Mexico (down 8%), Reno, Nevada (down 6%) and Salt Lake City (down 6%).