UK tourists 'spend least on hotels' (From Northwich Guardian)

UK tourists 'spend least on hotels'

10:21am Tuesday 16th March 2010 in National News © Press Association 2011

UK tourists, who two years ago were among Europe's biggest spenders on hotel rooms abroad, are now forking out the least for foreign accommodation, it has been revealed.

UK holidaymakers spent an average £90 a night for hotel rooms abroad last year, putting them 14th and last on a European list compiled by Hotels.com.

In 2007, the UK was second only to Ireland in a hotel-spending league.

The latest figures put Ireland top, with an average spending on hotels abroad of £107 per night in 2009. Other countries where residents spent £100 or more per night on hotels abroad were Spain, Portugal, Italy and Austria.

Globally, hotels rooms were 14% cheaper last year than in 2008. UK hotels, which were the most expensive in Europe in 2007, dropped to 13th place in 2009 - dipping 13% to £84 a night on average.

Hotels.com communications director Alison Couper said: "When it comes to hotel accommodation, the drop in UK spending is significant, but it is in line with the global decrease in hotel room prices in 2009."

She went on: "Arguably, the weakness of the pound should have given rise to a higher average spend for UK holidaymakers in 2009. What we've seen is that, rather than forego their holidays, Brits have just got much better at making their money go further.

"They appear to have broken some holiday habits, too. Many looked outside the eurozone to secure better value for money."