Orlando tops ten best overall cities: Hotwire
Hotwire.com named Orlando the 2012 destination where travelers get the most for their money. The discount travel site also named its top 10 cities where consumers planning their next trip can find the best combination of value, entertainment options and attractions throughout 2012.
“This year's index is dominated by Florida cities, making it an overall value state, while newcomers Charlotte and Albuquerque offer low prices to make their way into the top 10,” the site says.
The Hotwire Travel Value Index is based on a statistical model combining both in-house and third-party research. Hotwire evaluates the top 75 US leisure markets, rating them across three individual categories to generate an overall ranking for consumer vacation value.
Orlando, Fla. takes first place on the 2012 Travel Value Index after maintaining its presence as a value destination over the last four years. The new Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park further raised the entertainment value of a city already known for family fun. Tampa and Miami also make returns to the list this year for their low prices and entertainment options, making Florida an overall value state for travelers.
Charlotte, N.C. and Albuquerque, N.M. are two new cities to earn the title of value destination, each making their debut on the Travel Value Index for their overall low prices. Nicknamed "The Queen City," after Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III, Charlotte is also ranked as one of the top 100 places to live by CNNMoney because it combines the excitement of a bustling metropolis with good old fashioned southern charm. The other new city, Albuquerque, is the epicenter of Southwestern culture, and is widely recognized as one of the most diverse cities in the country.
Other “top tens” include Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Phoenix, Denver, Tampa and Miami.
By David Wilkening
David
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