Be in the know this Black Friday with our insights
Black Friday, loved by many and loathed by others, remains one of the best-selling days for luxury hotel gift voucher purchases. Put simply, it’s a time when many people are shopping (a gift voucher is sold via our platform every 4 seconds during peak hour), so not a moment many hotels can afford to miss.
This article explores what to expect this Black Friday, helping luxury hotels make the most the opportunity that it brings.
Whilst it may be synonymous with discounts, even luxury buyers enjoy a deal or an exclusive find, and venues can create a Black Friday campaign on their terms, that reflects the uniqueness that their brand offers.
Here are a selection of insights and trends..
Are people shopping & spending?
Yes and yes!
Luxury properties that market early, highlight exclusivity, and offer time limited discounts and/or value-added extras are likely to see steady or even increased voucher revenue this Black Friday.
Venues that run a well promoted campaign can expect traffic to their gift site to increase by around 500% compared to a normal Friday. And our data shows that these venues can expect to see sales 10x greater than a usual Friday, with top selling venues selling over £100K vouchers in just a single day.
According to VoucherCodes ‘Shopping for Christmas’ Report, which looks at retail and hospitality spending over the six weeks leading up to Christmas, it has been a turbulent year for spending in the UK, however, overall Christmas spend is set to increase. With prices rising, 10% of people say they’re bringing forward spending to spread the cost of Christmas and a further 17% say they’re preparing to make the most of the sales available across Black Friday weekend.
And more good news – the ‘Gift cards & vouchers’ category is forecasted to feature in 4th position, in terms of total gifting spend by category in 2025. So that is ahead of cosmetics, books and entertainment and jewellery.
Who is buying Black Friday gift voucher offers?
Women account for roughly 70% of all Black Friday gift-voucher purchases, making them a key audience for targeted marketing campaigns. However, men shouldn’t be overlooked – while they buy fewer vouchers overall, they tend to spend significantly more.
Why are people buying?
With Black Friday falling late in November, more people will be buying offers to give to their loved ones as Christmas gifts. In 2024, around half of the purchases were Christmas gifts and around 40% of the gifts were purchased for the buyer’s partner or themselves – hopefully meaning they can enjoy a gift experience together 
When is the most popular sales time?
The highest volume of sales are usually processed between 8am and 11am on Black Friday. This year, over half of our clients released their gift voucher offers earlier than FrIday.
What are the gift trends?
In 2024, more than 60% of sales on Black Friday were overnight stay and/or spa related gifts. When planning their offer, we encourage our clients to create one that that is tailored to what they do best and that is genuinely good value for money. It’s not just about a discount – venues should add in some extra treats that ‘upgrade’ the customer experience. For example, by combining two or more spa or beauty treatments and offering use of spa facilities too, i.e. ‘Hot Stone Body Massage, Mini Facial and access to our Luxury Spa with Hydro-pool.’ Properties can maximise sales, whilst ensuring they are not displacing higher tariff business, such as ‘Midweek Mini Break with Dinner’ offers, ‘30% off Suite Experiences’ and ‘Overnight Stay with Dinner & Wine Pairings’ offer.
This year’s Black Friday period is set to be one of the most exciting yet for luxury hotels.
With bold, imaginative campaigns, from Pink Friday exclusives to Gifted Getaways, hotels have more opportunities than ever to differentiate themselves, spark customer interest and secure significant revenue ahead of the festive season.
By embracing creativity, tapping into the demand for meaningful experiences and delivering offers that work for their customers and themselves, luxury hotels can transform Black Friday into the standout highlight of the year.