Kingston tops the list for hotel rate cuts

The results of the May 2012 Hotwire Canadian Hotel Rate Report, featuring the top five cities in Canada where hotel rates have dropped the most, have been released with Kingston, Ont. topping the list for the second consecutive month with a 7% price drop. According to Hotwire.com, Winnipeg jumped from fifth on the list to second with a 4% price drop, followed by Banff, Edmonton and Toronto. Both Banff and Edmonton maintain their holds on the fourth and fifth ranked spots, however prices in Banff will likely rise as summer and peak season approach. Toronto rounds out the top five with a 1% price drop. Typically in its peak season, Toronto hasn’t received as much group business travel as usual, forcing hoteliers to drop prices to lure more leisure travellers, particularly on weekends. “Most of the cities on this month’s list are suffering from weaker demand than last year – particularly from the US – and as a result, hotels still have many rooms they need to fill,”said Pierre-Etienne Chartier, vice-president, operations, of the Hotwire Group. “This combination of factors is leading hotels to drop their prices, which means travellers can score great rooms for under $100 a night in popular cities like Toronto, Banff and Kingston.”(http://www.hotwire.com)