Average daily hotel rates in the United States are expected to drop 9.7 percent for the year, to $96.43, according to Smith Travel Research, which tracks the industry. That would be the steepest year-over-year decrease since Smith began tracking hotel data in 1987. To fill rooms, hotels are offering special sales on their own Web sites, turning to third-party sites like Expedia.com to sell excess inventory and even quietly acquiescing to travelers who call up or walk in and haggle

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