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Weekend vs weekday: Know the cheapest (and priciest) days to book hotel stays

Looking for a more affordable Aussie holiday? A new report has highlighted the cheapest and most expensive nights for hotel deals in Australia, and the differences could add up to significant savings for travellers.

Looking for a more affordable Aussie holiday? A new report has highlighted the cheapest and most expensive nights for hotel deals in Australia, and the differences could add up to significant savings for travellers.

According to SiteMinder’s annual Hotel Booking Trends report, Friday nights top the charts as the priciest, with average rates reaching AU$354, while Sundays emerge as the most affordable at AU$272. That’s a difference of around 30 per cent – and that’s on average, so there’s likely even more savings on offer during sale periods. 

Based on over 125 million reservations worldwide, the report found that this pattern mirrors global trends, where Fridays are often peak demand nights. 

Overall, room rates in the country saw a slight increase, with the average rising to AU$299 last year from AU$297 in 2023. 

Domestic bliss

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Are Aussies the biggest domestic travellers in the world?

According to the study, Australians are leading the global charge in domestic travel, with an impressive 86 per cent of accommodation bookings in 2024 coming from local travellers. This figure places Australia well ahead of other countries, including the United States, where domestic bookings accounted for 75 per cent of business. 

Aussies are also planning their trips earlier, with the average booking window extending to 32 days, slightly above the global average. 

Cancellation rates in Australia remain lower than most nations at 17 per cent, reflecting traveller confidence. 

Interestingly, booking trends revealed that a whopping 80 per cent of Australian hotel reservations were for one-night stays, mirroring global patterns. 

Elsewhere, the report showed that seasonality had less impact on Australian accommodation compared to global markets, with November and December seeing the highest volume of bookings and May and June experiencing a relative lull. 

Changing channels?

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Direct bookings have risen, per the study.

When it comes to booking channels, direct reservations averaged AU$778 per stay, wholesalers $668, global distribution systems $570 and online travel agencies $480 per stay. 

Overall, this growing preference has cemented hotel websites as the third-largest source of revenue for the Australian market and many Asia-Pacific destinations. 

Australia’s top hotel booking sources in 2024 (based on gross revenue):

  1. Booking.com
  2. Expedia Group
  3. Hotel websites (direct bookings)
  4. Global distribution systems
  5. Agoda
  6. Qantas Hotels
  7. Hotelbeds
  8. Trip.com
  9. CTM Sleep Space
  10. Luxury Escapes
  11. HRS Australasia
  12. Airbnb

“The rise in direct bookings highlights the increasing importance of direct connections between hotels and guests, a shift that will continue to drive revenue, build customer loyalty, and strengthen the resilience of the local and regional tourism markets in the years ahead,” SiteMinder Regional Vice President of Asia Pacific Bradley Haines said.

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With over 41,000 properties using SiteMinder’s platform in 2024, the Hotel Booking Trends report analysed over 125 million reservations around the world.

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