TripAdvisor announces India’s only travel price index for summer 2012

-          TripIndex™ reveals the price of an evening out in key cities in India and around the world

TripAdvisor^®, the world’s largest travel site*, today launched the second edition of its annual TripIndex™, a travel price index of 48 key international tourist cities, major Indian metropolitan cities and popular holiday spots in India. The index helps travellers determine the cost for an evening out for two people in these destinations.

TripIndex tracks the cost for travellers of one night’s accommodation, a pre-meal drink, dinner and a taxi ride in each city*.

According to Nikhil Ganju, Country Manager TripAdvisor (India) “With a depreciating Rupee, unrelenting inflation, skyrocketing airfares & an economic slowdown, Indian travellers have good reason right now to be  concerned while they budget for their travel. TripIndex can help travellers, especially those who are budget conscious, with a quick & useful reference to decide on their holiday destination”.

International TripIndex™ : Around the World these Rupee days

·   Ahead of the Olympics, London (UK) bags the top spot as most expensive city in the international list followed by Oslo (Norway) & Zurich (Switzerland) this summer with a TripIndex cost of `28,879 nearly 4 times more expensive than Hanoi, Vietnam which emerges as the cheapest with a TripIndex cost of `7858.72. With seven out of the ten most expensive international cities in Europe, it emerges at the costliest continent to visit. Southeast Asia is the cheapest region, with four out of the cheapest ten cities from SEA.

·     Cheapest Hotel: Hotels in Bangkok are the cheapest stay with an average hotel room cost of `4519.9. London accommodation is more than four times that amount with an average hotel room cost of `20,148.77.

·      Cheapest Taxi Ride: A two mile return taxi fare in Oslo can set you back by `2920 while the same distance in Beijing is a meagre `95.75.

·      Cheapest Dinner: Travellers need to dish out eight times the money for a dinner for two in Oslo against a comparable meal in Hong Kong.

·       Cheapest Cocktail: Think twice before you raise a toast in Paris, which is the most expensive city to grab a martini for two with a cost of `3210.10. The same cocktail is over 5 times cheaper in Bangkok at `526.3.

Pocket Foe & Pocket Friendly holidays

·      Dharamsala emerges as the most budget friendly holiday spot in the list with a TripIndex cost of `3,876. Nashik, with its fast growing wine tourism, is the second least expensive destination with a TripIndex cost of `4,201. Time to raise a toast to a pocket friendly vacation!

·     Serene Mahabaleshwar could make a traveller skip a beat not only with its beautiful locales but also with its high prices as it emerges as the most expensive destination on the Indian holiday TripIndex list at a cost of `9,331 followed closely by Kochi at a cost of `9,217.

Metro-Meter

·       In the international list Mumbai ranks 35 on the list while it is the most expensive city in the India TripIndex at a total cost of `13,017, followed by Delhi& Chennai at `12,978 & `12,530 respectively.

·      With a difference of less than `160, the TripIndex cost of a night in Delhi compares to a night in Cape Town, you could trade a night in Chennai with Macau & Kolkata works out as much as a night out in Warsaw.

·      Chennai taxis are the most expensive with a cost of `201 with the same journey costing `100 in Pune.

·     In Mumbai be ready to cough up `1400 for a martini for two, while barely 150 kms away the same tipple costs you 40% cheaper in Pune.

United only by the Travel bug

·      South India leads as most expensive region on average TripIndex cost of (`8903.26) closely
     followed by West (`8186.16.), East (`6344.75) and North (`5335.22). Hotel prices also follow the
     same pattern with average hotel room rates highest in South India (`6678.25) followed similarly by
     West(`6109.67), East (`4774.2) & North (`4169).

*Regional data includes the major Indian metropolitan cities and popular holiday spots featured in the TripIndex

International TripIndex™ Cities

Best value International Cities
Destination	Hotel(`)	Taxi(`)	Dinner(`)	Cocktail(`)	Total(`)
Hanoi, Vietnam	4,729.76	275.71	1,597.60	1,255.64	7,858.72
Beijing, China	5,922.90	95.76	1,531.41	1,320.18	8,870.25
Bangkok Thailand	4,519.97	112.91	3,859.70	526.32	9,018.91
Budapest, Hungary	5,822.89	546.47	2,408.85	2,008.41	10,786.63
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	6,325.02	205.06	3,211.90	1,098.21	10,840.18

Most Expensive International Cities
Destination	Hotel(`)	Taxi(`)	Dinner(`)	Cocktail(`)	Total(`)
London, UK	20,148.77	1,937.06	4,612.29	2,181.37	28,879.50
Oslo, Norway	12,253.71	2,920.23	10,687.27	2,058.33	27,919.54
Zurich, Switzerland	16,268.67	2,107.82	7,202.09	1,508.90	27,087.48
Paris, France	17,088.55	841.60	5,675.60	3,210.10	26,815.85
Stockholm, Sweden	12,186.29	2,639.84	9,601.79	1,956.59	26,384.51

The full TripIndex is available at: http://cdn.tripadvisor.com

India: Metro TripIndex

Destination	Hotel(`)	Taxi(`)	Dinner(`)	Cocktail(`)	Total(`)
Mumbai	8015	151	3452	1400	13017
Delhi	8150	161	3467	1200	12978
Chennai	8187	201	3242	900	12530
Kolkata	8035	141	2101	880	11157
Bangalore	7342	124	2682	950	11098
Hyderabad	6639	153	2503	1130	10425
Pune	6500	100	2250	850	9700
Ahmedabad	6391	129	705	260*	7485

India: Holiday TripIndex

Destination	Hotel(`)	Taxi(`)	Dinner(`)	Cocktail(`)	Total(`)
Mahabaleshwar	8156.4	375	500	300	9331
Kochi	8337	250	370	260	9217
Andaman	6437.2	312.5	475	260	7485
Ooti	5359	337.5	500	200	6397
Matheran	4357	375	400	250	5382
Gangtok	4329.8	250	400	200	5180
Goa	4446.2	350	275	100	5171
Manali	4304	200	300	200	5004
Srinagar	4151	162.5	315	180	4809
Jaipur	4039	162.5	350	220	4772
Shillong	3459	375	435	350	4619
Darjeeling	3273	200	700	250	4423
Shimla	3612	175	365	260	4412
Nashik	3238.6	362.5	350	250	4201
Udaipur	3303	187.5	390	240	4121
Ladakh	3497	200	265	140	4102
Agra	3282	162.5	280	220	3945
Dharamsala	3183	212.5	280	200	3876

Notes to the Editor

·       TripIndex is a cost-comparison of a night out in popular cities around the world for summer 2012, taking into account typical costs for two people having a pre-meal cocktail, a meal out, taxis and a night in a hotel.

·       The destination list comprises key cities from 48 of the 50 countries with the largest number of international tourist arrivals (data compiled by the UNWTO).

·       Hotel prices shown specify the average per-night cost of a room at four-star hotels found on TripAdvisor (via partner booking sites such as online travel agencies and direct hotel suppliers) in each destination for the summer travel period (1 June - 31 August 2012).

·       Dinner prices specify the average cost of a traditional or common two-course meal (starter and main course) for two people with a bottle of house white wine (prices averaged from three mid-range restaurants in each destination). 

·       Cocktail prices specify the average cost of two traditional dry martinis from a top-rated five-star hotel on TripAdvisor in each destination.

·       Taxi prices identify the approximate cost of two taxi journeys of two miles each (representing an evening’s return transportation).  Data was taken from local authorities, recognised taxi companies and/or travel experts on the area.

·      TripIndex prices (hotels excluded) were taken in local currencies between March and May 2012 and converted into INR on 29th May 2012.  Hotel prices were taken in USD on 8 May 2012 and converted into INR on 29th May 2012.

·      All prices shown exclude taxes and service fees except for countries where such costs are routinely included in listed prices

·       Mumbai prices are included in the International TripIndex list. The price index for the other 7 metropolitan cities of Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune and Ahmedabad is also based on the same basket of goods as described above. However, prices for these were taken in INR. *Ahmedabad being a dry state, the cost of a pre-meal drink for two is substituted by the price of 2 mocktails. The cost of a bottle of house white wine (part of the dinner cost) has also been replaced by the cost of 2 mocktails.

Holiday TripIndex

·       Holiday TripIndex is a cost-comparison of a night out in popular Indian holiday destinations, taking into account typical costs for two people having a pre-meal drink (alcoholic), a meal out, taxi and a night in a hotel.

·      The destination list is editorial based and comprises of popular tourist destinations from across India representing cities in the north, south, east, west and an union territory. 

·       Hotel prices shown specify the average per-night cost of a room at two/three-star hotels found on TripAdvisor (via partner booking sites such as online travel agencies and direct hotel suppliers) in each destination for the summer travel period (1 June - 31 August 2012). 

·       Beverage prices specify the average cost of a pint (330ml) of domestic beer in a two/three-star hotel.  In case that price is not available, the average price is taken from three local mid-scale restaurants/bars at the destination.

·       Dinner prices specify the cost of a traditional shared meal including one portion of rice, vegetable and pulse in a two/three-star hotel. In destinations where this cost cannot be found, an average cost is taken from three local mid-scale restaurants.

·       Taxi prices identify the approximate cost of a two hour journey in each destination. Data was obtained from the local government or a large taxi company operating in the area. 

·        All prices shown exclude taxes and service fees except for where such costs might be included in listed prices. All prices were taken in INR.