Gift Card

In case you couldn't make it to the show, the team at HT brings you the top 10 stories that came from this year's National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show.

Hotels are tapping into the power of the Internet by linking their websites with other property systems, and maximizing their appeal to guests. One property is boosting gift card sales by 30 percent with its online initiatives, while others are expanding their brand's awareness via smart marketing.

Restaurants like Tully's Coffee and Brinker International are combining stored value card technology with savvy marketing initiatives for gift card programs that benefit the restaurants well beyond their initial sale. Through partnerships with local businesses, gift cards are accounting for as much as 30 percent of one restaurant's sales.

A new wave of loyalty strategies are making it easier for operators to attract, retain and drive top-line growth