Best Western Travel Card Sales to Surpass US$6 Million in 2004

The Best Western Travel Card has meant big business for the hotel chain while enhancing overall brand awareness among customers. Sales of the pre-paid gift card are pacing to exceed $6 million by the end of the year.

Expanded third-party efforts have helped sales growth since May, when Best Western unveiled the Travel Card to the corporate incentive marketplace.

The Travel Card has also guaranteed an increased market share for many Best Western hotels, who have sold more than $300,000 worth of product to their guests through September while earning 10 percent commission for their efforts.

"This is the best launch for this type of program I believe the hotel industry has ever seen," said Best Western Chairman of the Board, Nayan Patel. "These solid results indicate a growing corporate and leisure need for a convenient, easy-to-use card,  that is accepted universally at 4,100 Best Western hotels in 80 countries."

"We are very encouraged by the overwhelming consumer acceptance of the Best Western Travel Card as evidenced by the fact that more than 80,000 cards are currently in the marketplace," said David Kong, president and CEO. "One of the card's greatest attractions is that it offers the promise of travel adventures and memories virtually anywhere in the world. This makes the Best Western Travel Card a very desirable gift to both give and receive."

Used by guests to pay for both accommodations and related incidentals, such as room service and phone charges, the Best Western Travel Card is available for purchase in U.S. dollars, Canadian dollars, euros, British pounds, Swiss francs, Swedish kroners, Norwegian kroners and Danish kroners. The card is offered in any denomination between $25 and $1,000 US/euro (or equivalent in other currencies).

The Travel Card can be purchased or reloaded at most Best Western hotels, online or by calling Travel Card Customer Service.

"There is no limit to the growth potential for the Best Western Travel Card," adds Kong. "We will continue to make enhancements to the card program, including the creation of new retail distribution channels as well as special marketing and promotional opportunities."

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