Beyond Black Friday: Turning seasonal voucher sales into year-round profit

Every year, as November rolls around, hotel teams gear up for one of the most lucrative periods in the calendar, Black Friday. It’s the golden hour of gift voucher sales.

Last year, 43% of all hotel gift voucher sales took place between Black Friday and Christmas, with hotels seeing a 12% year-on-year increase in order values. It’s an incredible success period, but one that ends just as quickly as it began.

What happens after the campaign is just as critical. By focusing on strategic platform choice, enabling online redemption, and leveraging voucher extensions, the savviest hoteliers are now looking beyond the sale to maximize profitability, guest satisfaction, and operational efficiency long after Black Friday.

The commission sting

With over 40% of gift voucher sales happening between Black Friday and Christmas, this period should be your most profitable. Yet for many hotels, it can also be expensive thanks to commission-based voucher platforms that take a bigger cut as your sales climb.

Transparent pricing models are key to protecting your margin. Platforms like Journey give hoteliers complete control, offering tools to drive voucher sales without commission costs eating into the bottom line.

Redemption earns you more

Selling a voucher is only half the story, the real magic happens when it’s redeemed. Yet many hotels still rely on manual processes, including phone calls, email confirmations, and spreadsheets,  creating friction for guests and extra workload for teams.

Online redemption technology removes that complexity, giving guests the power to self-serve with ease. They can redeem their vouchers anytime, from anywhere, without waiting for business hours or callbacks. For hotel teams, it means less admin, fewer inbound calls, and more time focused on delivering exceptional guest experiences.

That’s exactly what Turkish Baths Harrogate discovered when they introduced online voucher redemption. “It’s been a game-changer for us,” says Katie Summersall, Operations Manager. “The booking process is smoother for our guests and has significantly reduced admin time for our team. We’ve seen a noticeable increase in voucher usage since going digital, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.”

But one of the biggest advantages is the commercial impact. Properties using online redemption see Average Order Values increase by up to 45%. It’s clear evidence that a frictionless experience not only delights guests and lightens the load for back-office teams - it also delivers a significant boost to the bottom line.

Voucher extensions: The overlooked revenue stream

Too often, hotels see unredeemed vouchers, known as ‘breakage’, as easy profit. But that mindset overlooks the bigger picture. Every expired voucher represents a missed opportunity for a guest visit, on-site spend, and long-term loyalty.

79% of hotel voucher recipients are brand-new guests. Each voucher redeemed is the first step in a potential long-term relationship. Offering guests the opportunity to extend their voucher easily online, often for a small fee, creates even greater value.

In October, Journey saw a 627% month-on-month increase in voucher extensions, as guests looked to renew vouchers approaching their 12-month expiry. Many were happy to pay a small fee for the extension, generating incremental revenue while ensuring they visit the property.

From one day to a year-round strategy

Smart hoteliers treat Black Friday as the kick-off for deeper guest engagement and ongoing revenue, not just a single sales event.

Three actions to take now:

• Review your platform model: eliminate commission-based structures that erode profit.

• Enable online redemption: reduce admin, increase guest satisfaction, and boost spend.

• Plan your extension and re-engagement strategy: reach out before expiry to drive visits and new bookings.

These simple, data-driven steps turn a sales spike into a sustained commercial advantage. With tools like the Journey Hospitality Platform, luxury hoteliers can turn every sale into something more valuable: a deeper guest relationship, a smoother experience, and a healthier profit line.