Travel: Asia Pacific hotel rates increase for US travellers

Hotel.Com report that for those paying in USD, rates went up by 19% in 2010. With a 17% increase, Malaysia was not far behind. But Malaysia is starting from a much lower rate and therefore remains on a dollar for dollar basis much cheaper than large mainland Chinese cities. Indonesia (13%) and South Korea (10%) are also significant. Hong Kong saw, in some districts, as much as a 20% increase.

But it is Singapore which provides the most startling figure with a 33% rise. That was beaten to the top spot by Bali which saw a 35% increase.

Singapore has, in the past year, become a very expensive city for travellers due to an exceptionally strong Singapore dollar - but also because of inflation in the things tourists buy. Oddly, for residents, the kind of things they buy for their homes are often significantly cheaper than in neighbouring Malaysia.

Bali has been - in real terms - a budget destination in recent years despite having some fine hotels. Therefore its increase does not mean that the overall cost becomes unaffordable.

However, much of this increase is accounted for by the US dollar's weakness against many AsiaPac currencies. A similar fate would be found if comparing GBP equivalent prices. While some actual price inflation has been seen, some of that is due to the rebounding travel industry after the 2007-2009 doldrums and the resulting reduction in available rooms.

But even so, those areas closest to the USA and most dependent on the US tourist trade - particularly in the Caribbean, says hotel.com, have seen USD equivalent prices remain broadly the same. But in some cases there have been significant falls: St Lucia, for example, has seen a 28% reduction in rates.