New! The Bed and Breakfast Card

Sales of all types of gift cards are expected to triple this holiday season, and The Bed and Breakfast Card makes it possible for every innkeeper to benefit from the hottest new trend in retailing! The Bed and Breakfast Card will be available in more than 15,000 retail locations by early 2007, and it gives unparalleled exposure to every participating B&B. People who have never tried a B&B will now have the opportunity to give or enjoy the gift of a B&B getaway.

What are gift cards?

Gift cards are a shopper’s dream. According to the third annual NRF Gift Card Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, gift card sales totaled $18.48 billion in the 2005 holiday season. The average consumer spent $88.03 on gift cards during the holidays – 15.6% of their holiday gift budget. More than 75.5% of consumers polled said that they plan to purchase at least one gift card, and more than 50% of consumers would like to receive gift cards this holiday season.

“Gift cards present a win-win situation for both consumers and retailers,” said Tracy Mullin, NRF President and CEO. “Gift cards take the guesswork out of giving, and since they take up minimal shelf space, they are easy for retailers to stock and display.”

InComm, the nation’s largest provider of third party gift cards and other prepaid products, anticipates the greatest demand in history for its products and services during the 2006 holiday shopping season. “We’ve never seen demand so high,” said Brooks Smith, InComm President and CEO. “We expect our gift card sales to at least triple last year’s numbers, and our retail partners and their customers will benefit from expanded offerings at more convenient shopping locations.” The gift card explosion is not limited to birthdays and Christmas gifts; many corporations are turning to gift cards as a way to provide employee incentives.

The Bed and Breakfast Card makes it possible for innkeepers to benefit from the popularity of gift cards for the very first time. Starting next week, consumers can go to more than 2,500 Wal-Mart stores nationwide and purchase Bed and Breakfast Cards in $50 denominations. Early in 2007, The Bed and Breakfast Card will be available in approximately 15,000 retail locations across the United States, making it easier than ever for someone to give the gift of a bed and breakfast escape! In addition to the thousands of reservations these purchases will generate, the cards will also create national branding for the entire B&B industry and will significantly increase traffic to the BedandBreakfast.com website.

In other words, for a person to buy a gift certificate for a stay at your inn, they have to visit your property or your website; for someone to purchase a BedandBreakfast.com Gift Certificate, they have to visit BedandBreakfast.com. While that does include millions of people, many gift givers have never thought about giving a B&B getaway, and others are not yet comfortable with online purchasing. With The Bed and Breakfast Card, picking up the perfect gift is as easy as visiting a local retailer. Gift Cards make it easier to buy the gift of a getaway than ever before—the ideal impulse gift for almost everyone on your holiday shopping list.

How can I participate?

It’s easy! If you already accept BedandBreakfast.com Gift Certificates, you do not need to do anything. The online redemption process is exactly the same for both certificates and cards and takes just minutes to complete. If you’re not yet on board, please click here for complete details. Not yet sure? Consider these points:

• You can’t afford not to participate: There’s no cost to join this program, and we handle all fulfillment, promotion, marketing and credit card costs; you pay a 15% commission on the face value of the redeemed certificate/card only when you get a reservation. If you redeem a $50 card on a $250 stay, your effective commission is only 3%; on a $150 reservation, it’s only 5%.
• Getting paid is easy as pie: To redeem certificates and cards, just log in and enter the order and certificate number, and the money gets deposited into your bank account electronically within four business days. No invoicing, no mailing, no waiting for checks.
• You get featured on BedandBreakfast.com: Participating properties are featured in the gift certificate search and have identifying badges and icons on their listing, making it easy for the tens of thousands of recipients to find you. Click here to see how consumers find participating properties.
• Innkeepers love them: More than 3,200 properties across the United States already accept BedandBreakfast.com Gift Certificates and Cards.
• Consumers love them: BedandBreakfast.com Gift Certificates and Cards are the perfect gift! We have sold tens of thousands of certificates since 1999. Read the honest, unedited comments of recent purchasers.
• BedandBreakfast.com Gift Certificates are popular: Millions of potential guests visit BedandBreakfast.com every month to plan their next getaway; for many of them, BedandBreakfast.com Gift Certificates are a favorite present for holidays, birthdays, Valentine’s Day, weddings, anniversaries, or just to say they care. With no blackout or expiration dates, they are perfect for special occasions, and make any occasion special!
• The Bed and Breakfast Card gets great exposure: The Bed and Breakfast Card will be available in more than 15,000 retail locations by early 2007. Available in multiple denominations, The Bed and Breakfast Card gives unparalleled exposure to every participating B&B in our industry. People who have never tried a B&B will now have the opportunity to give or enjoy the gift of a B&B getaway.

Join today! If you’re not yet participating, sign up today. Don’t miss out on this risk-free opportunity.

Questions? Read our FAQ or contact us at Support@BedandBreakfast.com or 1-800-GO-B-AND-B (1-800-462-2632).

This Month's Sponsor

Special offer!

Internet Intensives

BedandBreakfast.com, RezOvation and Expedia, Inc. are hitting the road to bring you comprehensive information about Internet marketing, online reservations, yield management, and property management software. Please join us for these workshops and for an Innkeepers' Appreciation Luncheon. Read more...

Gift Certificates

Online Trade Show

Click here to view our Online Trade Show. Are you a vendor? Click here to get featured!

Advertising Auctions

Featured Property and Inn of the Month auctions are easy, affordable and effective ways to drive traffic to your website.

Member Information

To update your entry, check your traffic statistics, and renew your membership, please log in with your property ID and password. Don't like your password? Once you're logged in, click "Membership," select "Change Password," and choose another that's easier to remember. More information

Inns for Sale

Innkeepers' Info Center

Need more info? You’ll find lots of educational articles on our site for your convenience.