As the evenings draw in, our minds inevitably turn towards the festive season. UK hotels see a massive boost from the sale of holiday gift vouchers, which peak in November and December with almost half of total annual sales taking place between Black Friday and Christmas.
Half of all annual gift voucher sales take place between Black Friday and Christmas
55% of the total revenue from hotel gift voucher sales comes in November and December,” explained Andrew Risley, Director of partnerships for our technology provider of Rezgift. “In 2023, over the Black Friday period, we achieved the highest average spend per hotel voucher of £120 – and generated £400k in sales, with overall voucher sales for November being up 280% compared to October.”
Hotel gift voucher demographics matter
When marketing gift voucher programmes, hotels would be wise to consider the consumer demographics of gender, age and regionality when putting voucher programmes together.
- Women buy the most hotel gift vouchers each month (apart from December) while men, conforming to the stereotype of last minute Christmas shopping, buy no less than three in every five sold on Christmas Eve!
- Age: A quarter of all hotel gift vouchers are bought by 25 to 34-year-olds, while the over 65s are the least likely to buy gift vouchers, at just 10% of all sales.
- London shoppers are responsible for a staggering 60% of all vouchers sold, which is deeply disproportionate to other cities around the UK, with many large towns and cities coming in at 3-5% each.
- Online: 66% of vouchers bought in 2023 are delivered via email, while post is preferred by 20% of shoppers, particularly when purchasing from a high-end luxury hotel – it is seen to add an extra touch of class.
£7bn a year spent on gift cards in the UK
The gift card industry is worth £7bn each year in the UK, and hoteliers have become more adept at claiming their bit. Hotels often use third party platforms such as BuyAGift to promote their voucher offers more widely – these packages are available to buy off the shelf in supermarkets and the recipient can then log in to browse the experiences on offer in their area, ensuring high levels of visibility for participating venues.
Afternoon tea, spa treatments and hotel stays are staples, but guests are also searching for more quirky experiences. Murder mystery events, cookery schools and wild water swimming experiences represent just some of the hotel vouchers sold in the last year.
Introducing Rezgift – our own gifting platform designed with the hotelier in mind
Rezcontrol now offers Rezgift, which caters to all types of gift experience, and provides its customers with an easy to use system for creating, managing and selling vouchers through its easy-to-use dashboard.
After signing up, customers simply connect to a payment provider; design and create their vouchers, and choose a domain for their new online shop.
“A dedicated voucher platform like Rezgift will save hoteliers on commission, make more revenue and enable completely bespoke experiences”
“A dedicated voucher platform like Rezgift will save hoteliers on commission, make more revenue and enable completely bespoke experiences for their hotel,” said Andrew. “Physical cards can also be created and sent out, adding an extra touch of class for hotels which choose this option,” said Andrew.
Branded to your hotel, providing advanced reporting, and with a ‘go live checklist’ to make sure it’s spot on, Rezgift is not just any gifting platform, either.
The newly expanded events options enable hoteliers to, for example:
- Sell seating at specified price points – for example VIP, regular seating or standing at a comedy or tribute night
Issue tickets with QR codes and track attendance in the reporting to help with future events - Set capacity for large parties – when full, it will show as sold out
- Offer table seating plans for gatherings from corporate hospitality to Christmas dinner, with choices reported back to the hotel
- Set up one-off events, recurring events and slots within an event, such as a conference with meeting booking options
Rezcontrol also partners with Toggle, who particularly specialise in bespoke events and experiences, designed to make your guests feel extra special.
Via Toggle, as with Rezgift, you can set up an online shop in a matter of minutes, selling both physical and online gift cards. You can personalise them, and send via post or email – while the physical cards are of the highest quality and go the extra mile in representing an upscale experience.
Flat fee versus commission
Rezgift costs the customer a flat fee of £50 per month, whereas Toggle works on a commission model around 6.5%, so hoteliers need to compare the likely outlays based on the volume of vouchers they sell and the value they bring to the business.
“To make the most of both revenue opportunities and brand recognition, hotels need to provide gift vouchers that are easily accessible and represent the hotel’s values,” said Andrew. “In today’s digital age, selling vouchers online will probably account for two-thirds of sales – while creating memorable experiences and driving loyalty.”
Not a customer? Call us on +44 (0)330 223 1456 or email sales@rezcontrol.com – or contact us for a demo.