Parsippany, N.J. — January 22, 2013 — If your hotel or spa sells gift cards, Lodging Interactive has just made this task easier for you in 2013. Today, the interactive and social media marketing agency for the hospitality industry introduces a new website called "Gift Hotel" which is the world’s largest portal website exclusively marketing gift cards for hotels, resorts and spas. Gift Hotel enables properties to create gift card listings on www.GiftHotel.com and receive qualified sales directly to their websites where transactions are processed. There are no commissions to pay or revenues to share.
 
"In 2012, the gift card market delivered $110 billion in U.S. transactions that were purchased by nearly 85% of the U.S. population; yet, until now, there hasn’t been a single website solely focused on matching the buyer’s needs related to the purchase of hotel or spa gift cards," said D.J. Vallauri, Lodging Interactive founder and president. "‘Googling’ for hotel or spa gift cards by location, hotel amenities and spa facilities simply results in a frustrating list of useless links. We felt there had to be a better way for hotels and spas to increase their online marketing reach and maximize their gift cards sales, so we built Gift Hotel. As an interactive website, Gift Hotel by Lodging Interactive drives gift card sales directly to hotels and spas. It's that simple."
 
Here are some fun facts: If you laid the number of gift cards sold in the U.S. in 2012 end to end, it would extend 5,318,813 miles long, cover a surface area of 5.4 square miles, or blanket 32 NFL football fields 82 times (according to CEB TowerGroup Research).
 
Currently representing 84 markets, Gift Hotel enables hotels, resorts, spas and restaurants to create their own listings, including photographs and videos showcasing their location, amenities and services.  Consumers search the site based on their criteria and are returned a list of businesses that meet their needs.  When ready to make the gift card purchase, Gift Hotel links shoppers to the business’ website where they buy direct.
 
Gift Hotel also includes integrated Google mapping technologies, guest reviews and social networking components for sharing listings with family and friends.
 
"We believe Gift Hotel will help properties sell hundreds of thousands of gift cards in 2013, driving revenues to their bottom line and new customers to their doors," Vallauri said. "Gift Hotel not only puts the hotel in charge of the gift card transaction, but also provides in-depth analytics information for the hotels. Properties can log into their accounts and view the number of page views, click throughs and we even report on phone calls made to the property.”
 
For more information on Gift Hotel, visit www.gifthotel.com or call 877-291-4411 extension 701.

About Lodging Interactive
Lodging Interactive, headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, is an award winning leading provider of Internet Marketing Services to the hospitality, spa and restaurant industries. The company provides a portfolio of effective hotel Internet marketing services to hundreds of hotels, resorts, ownership properties, spas and restaurants. Clients include branded hotels from nearly every major brand as well as prestigious, landmark independent hotels.

Through its CoMMingle Social Media Marketing Agency operating division, the Company offers hospitality focused and fully managed outsourced hotel social media marketing customized solutions. Lodging Interactive is an award winning interactive marketing agency and has been recognized as a leader by the International Academy of Visual Arts, Interactive Media Awards, Web Marketing Association and Travel Weekly’s Magellan Awards.

Lodging Interactive is a proud supporter of the Hotel Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and a proud member of the Asian American Hotel Owners Assn. (AAHOA). For more information contact Roman Aluisy, Director of Business Development at [email protected] or at 877-291-4411 ext 705. The company’s website is located at www.LodgingInteractive.com