The cold wave that crippled Eastern Europe since the end of January is affecting the travel industry as well, with many Eastern European hotels reporting their lowest recorded prices in years. According to the trivago Hotel Price Index (tHPI) Eastern European cities such as Prague (73 euros, down 26 percent), Istanbul (90 euros, down 5 percent), and Budapest (59 euros, down 6 percent) are all experiencing price decreases compared to last month.
But the price fall trend didn’t spare cities that are not threatened by cold. In Athens, the prices are down 12 percent compared to February 2011, with hotels reporting their lowest hotel rates since May 2008. This may be the right time to visit Spain as well. Hotels in the following cities are reporting low prices: Valencia (78, down 13 percent), Madrid (97, down 6 percent), Malaga (69 euros, down 3 percent) Granada (68 euros, down 1 percent) and Seville (76 euros, down 1 percent).
Prices have also dropped in UK, possibly because of the cold climate. Newcastle is reporting the greatest decrease, with prices down 16 percent. Blackpool in second, reported a price decrease of 11 percent, followed by Liverpool, down 10 percent; Edinburgh, down 7 percent; Birmingham, Sheffield and Glasgow. Dublin is down 5 percent and the Welsh capital of Cardiff is down 10 percent.
Western European cities such as Munich (down 7 percent), Dresden (down 2 percent), Amsterdam (down 2 percent) are also reporting low prices.
So far, only Venice reported a positive, with prices raising up to 35 percent, during the Venice Carnival – 11st – 21st February 2012.