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28 March 2024

Travel smart: Here's how you can visit the world's top cities cheap

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By Staff

A new study by an online hotel booking site can now help travellers plan their holidays to the world’s top destinations, at the cheapest prices.

Agoda.com, part of Priceline Group, announced the results of its most recent Travel Smart study: a trip-planning calendar that helps travellers find the best hotel deals all over the world.

Based on booking data from hundreds of thousands of guests who used Agoda.com in 2013, the study analysed hotel prices at 25 of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

High and low seasons are nothing new, but for Dubai residents who possibly recommend the winter months to have families and friends pay them a visit here, will find May, June and July are the best months to bag a hotel deal here.

Dubai
Unsurprisingly, December and January are months where Dubai hotels charge the highest seasonal rates, followed by pockets in February and March.

New York or Rome

Meanwhile, travel to New York or Rome in the first week of January, for example, and you’ll save as much as 40 per cent off the average room rate, according to the study.

Oslo
Visit Oslo in May and you could end up paying 50 per cent more.

Istanbul
Hotels in Istanbul are about 25 per cent cheaper December through March, but as much as 50 per cent more expensive in the middle of May.

“We know airfares, vacation schedules and the weather are also important factors, but we hope this tool helps our customers save money when they plan their vacations,” said Errol Cooke, Vice President, Global Hotels, in a statement.

For many destinations across the globe, the cheapest time to book hotels is in the beginning of the year. Average room rates during the first two weeks of January were below average in all 25 markets the study looked at. But travellers can also find bargains at other times of the year.

Barcelona, London

In March there are deals to be found in Barcelona, London or Oslo.

Milan and Vienna

June and July, traditionally popular vacation months, are inexpensive times to book hotels in Milan and Vienna, aside from Dubai.

Stockholm or Riyadh

The last week in December, considered high season in most destinations, is a great time to travel to Oslo, Stockholm or Riyadh.

Hotel prices in some places, though, tend to be consistent throughout the year, claims the study.

Budget travellers in Asia will be disappointed to hear that there really is no low season for most of that region’s popular destinations.

Tokyo

The cheapest time to travel to Tokyo is the first week of January, but even then hotel rooms are just 17 per cent cheaper than average.

Taipei and Seoul

Likewise in Taipei and Seoul seasonal hotel deals are limited.

The best hotel deals in Taipei are the first week of July but prices then are only nine per cent cheaper than average; for Seoul the best week is the first week of January but you’ll only score a 10 per cent discount.

The study looked at booking data for 2013, but certain annual holidays, such as Chinese New Year and Ramadan, and events, such as the Milan Furniture Fair, take place on different dates each year and will affect rates.