travel

Most affordable travel destinations

October 22, 2015

The Inca ruins of Machu Picchu, near Cusco, Peru. Online booking site Hotels.com says Latin America is the place to go if you're on a budget. – AFP/Relaxnews pic, October 22, 2015.If you’re travelling on a budget, there’s no better time to visit Latin America where average hotel room rates fell in the first half of the year compared to the same period in 2014.

A newly released index by online booking site Hotels.com has crunched the numbers to rank the most affordable international destinations that won’t break the bank.

Topping the list is a trio of Latin American destinations, starting with Guadalajara, Mexico, where the average hotel room rate is US$89 (RM383), followed by Cusco, Peru (average room rate US$96) and Buenos Aires (US$110).

Cities that made the list are meant to represent alternative, “under-the-radar” destinations for those who have already done the popular London, Paris, Rome circuit.

Overall, Americans saved a few dollars if they travelled in the first half of 2015, as they paid an average of US$164 a night for international stays abroad, compared to US$179 a night in 2014.

Here are the most affordable “alternative” international destinations when it comes to accommodations, according to Hotels.com:

1. Guadalajara, Mexico, average nightly hotel rate, US$89
2. Cusco, Peru, US$96
3. Buenos Aires, Argentina, US$110
4. Budapest, Hungary, US$125
5. Berlin, Germany, US$128
6. Prague, Czech Republic, US$129
7. Istanbul, Turkey, US$131
8. Seoul, South Korea, US$131
9. Madrid, Spain, US$132
10. Taipei, Taiwan, US$135
11. Moscow, Russia, US$138
12. Beijing, China, US$138
13. Bali, Indonesia, US$138
14. Athens, Greece US$139
15. Brussels, Belgium, US$141. – AFP/Relaxnews, October 22, 2015.