Hotwire Reveals Canadian Hotel Rate Report for August 2012

Fewer Visitors to Leisure Destinations like Vancouver, Winnipeg and Charlottetown Create End-of-Summer Deals for Travellers

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 28, 2012 /CNW/ - Hotwire.com®, a leading discount travel site, today announced the results of the August 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.

Winnipeg tops this month's list with an 11 percent drop in hotel prices. On the list for the sixth consecutive month, Winnipeg holds strong as a value destination and is also known for its vibrant art scene. Home to an array of world-class theatres and art museums as well as foodie favorite spots like the Oakwood Cafe, the city has plenty to offer the summer traveller. There's also a host of summertime outdoor activities to enjoy like strolling through St. Ambroise Beach Provincial Park or picnicking at Canada's fifth largest lake, Grand Beach.

On the list for a second consecutive month, Vancouver continues to see less demand compared to last year resulting in some fantastic late-summer deals. Vancouver and Cambridge, which come in at second and third on the list, are both experiencing a five percent drop in hotel prices. Each city hosts plenty of activities during August including Cambridge's annual Summer in the City, where the city comes together for music, dancing, theatrical performances, crafts and movies in the park. Vancouver on the other hand is home to the Granville Island Public Market, the city's most famous food market, and travellers can sample local produce and seafood as well as specialty foods from around the world.

Whistler and Charlottetown round out the top five with each having a three percent price drop. Both cities are experiencing unseasonably slow summers and are dropping prices to offset the trend. Whistler is known for mountain biking at Whistler Blackcomb in the summer months as well as outdoor events at the Whistler Olympic Plaza. Likewise, Charlottetown brings great deals to travellers looking to escape to the south shore of Prince Edward Island.

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 August 2012 include:

Rank	Hotel Market	Price Drop	Example of a Current Hotwire Deal, CAD$/Night
1	Winnipeg, MN	-11%	3.5-star	$96
2	Vancouver, BC	-5%	4-star	$130
3	Cambridge, ON	-5%	3-star	$70
4	Whistler, BC	-3%	3.5-star	$120
5	Charlottetown, PEI	-3%	3-star	$140

"With the weakening Euro, many US travelers who typically visit our popular leisure destinations this time of year are venturing further abroad which results in less traffic to cities like Vancouver and Cambridge," said Pierre-Etienne Chartier, vice president of the Hotwire Group. "This is good news for local travelers seeking an end-of-summer domestic trip, where folks can save big when exploring their local hot spots."

About the Hotwire Hotel Rate Report
The Hotwire Hotel Rate Report will run results during the first week of each month. Results are calculated by looking at Hotwire stay dates for select regions in the current month, and comparing prices in the current month against Hotwire prices in the same month in the prior year. Prices are compared within the same star rating categories for consistency, and the percent change in price for each region is generated as an overall average of the changes in those categories. The prices in the chart above are examples for a particular star rating category within that market, and actual prices may be higher or lower than the example that is provided.

About Hotwire
Hotwire.com is a leading discount travel site with low rates on airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, cruises and vacation packages. Launched in 2000, Hotwire negotiates deep discounts from its travel suppliers to help travelers book unsold airline seats, hotel rooms and rental cars. Hotwire is an award-winning website and operating company of Expedia, Inc. CST# 2053390-50. NST: 20003-0209. For more information, visit http://www.hotwire.com. Hotwire operates sites in 8 countries worldwide: www.hotwire.com, www.hotwire.com/uk, www.hotwire.com/ie, www.hotwire.com/au, www.hotwire.com/nz, www.hotwire.com/se, www.hotwire.com/no and www.hotwire.com/dk. In addition to Hotwire, The Hotwire Group of websites includes: www.hotwire.com, www.travel-ticker.com, www.carrentals.com.

Hotwire, Hotwire.com and the Hotwire logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Hotwire, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2012 Hotwire, Inc. All rights reserved. CST# 2053390-40.

SOURCE: Hotwire.com

Andrew Reynolds, Atomic PR, [phone], [email protected]

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