Asia-based Agoda.com, part of The Priceline Group, published results from its latest Travel Smart study this week. The research analyzed how hotel room rates changed across 25 international destinations over the course of a year to identify the best times to travel based on price trends.
The study found that room rates are generally below average during the first two weeks of the new year, while peak pricing commonly occurs in September and October. Although these overall patterns held true across many markets, timing and magnitude varied by region. In Europe, room rates can be as much as 20 percent below the annual average in March. In contrast, New York and parts of Australia tend to see price softening in July. For travelers planning a trip to Barcelona, Agoda’s data suggests visiting in January, when room rates may fall to roughly half the typical price. Several popular Asian destinations, including Hong Kong and Phuket, showed relatively consistent pricing throughout the year, with less dramatic seasonal fluctuation.
Agoda plans to use the study’s data to build a trip-planning calendar that helps users identify dates with the most favorable room rates. The calendar aims to make it easier for travelers to time bookings around predictable price dips.
Agoda.com operates an online accommodation reservation service similar to Priceline and Hotwire. The site lists more than 750,000 properties worldwide, with a strong selection of business-friendly and luxury hotels.