U.S. travelers were paying less for hotel stays abroad in 2016 thanks to a strong dollar, according to Hotels.com’s latest Hotel Price Index.
Global hotel prices remained steady as prices in two popular destinations in Europe fell: London (prices down 11 percent to $230 per night) and Paris (prices down 12 percent to $184 per night), compared to 2015.
Domestically, Austin, Texas (prices down 2 percent from 2015 to $159 per night) saw a new presence in the top 10 domestic destinations. Texas cities dominated the top 10 domestic destinations in 2016 with San Antonio ranking 7th (prices up 1 percent from 2015 to $127 per night), Houston ranking 8th (prices down 7 percent to $121 per night) and Austin squeaking in at 10th (prices down 2 percent to $159 per night).
New York City (prices down 3 percent from 2015 to $252 per night), Las Vegas (prices up 5 percent to $138 per night) and Orlando, Florida (prices up 2 percent to $112 per night) topped the list of U.S. destinations for international travelers in 2016.
The United States had a slight average price increase (up 1 percent) throughout 2016, while declines from most other regions tempered the overall global picture. Seven out of 10 of the top international travel destinations for the U.S. saw a significant price decrease, including a 7 percent drop for Thailand (now $93 per night) and a 2 percent drop for China (now $134 per night), compared to 2015.
The study examined average prices paid per night inclusive of taxes and fees.