For years, the Richmond Hotel Association (RHA) and Tourism Richmond have successfully driven off-season hotel bookings by offering American Express gift cards to incentivize stays. While effective, this high-volume initiative created a logistical challenge: distributing thousands of physical gift cards to hotels was both tedious and time-consuming.
Challenge: Scaling Incentive Distribution
With past promotions offering guests between $75 to $225 in gift cards depending on hotel and length of stay, manually managing and distributing physical gift cards proved inefficient. Richmond BC needed a more streamlined solution—one that maintained the success of their incentives while eliminating logistical burdens.
Solution: Digital Gift Cards Powered by Ripe
Partnering with Ripe, Richmond BC transitioned to a fully digital gift card system. Using GiftBit, a Canada-based e-gift card provider, Ripe facilitated the distribution of Visa gift cards in Canadian dollars to hotel guests. These digital cards were:
- Branded with Tourism Richmond’s identity for a seamless guest experience.
- Delivered electronically, allowing guests to add them to their digital wallets and use them as they pleased.
- Easier to manage, removing the need for physical card handling while providing RHA with direct booking data.
Success by the Numbers
Greater Efficiency, More Insight
By implementing Ripe’s digital solution, Richmond BC successfully:
- Eliminated the logistical burden of distributing physical gift cards to hotels.
- Gained valuable first-party booking data and attribution for their promotions.
- Enhanced guest convenience, making it easier for visitors to access and use their incentives.
Ripe’s digital gift card distribution not only simplified operations but also strengthened Richmond’s ability to drive bookings while capturing actionable data—a win-win for both the destination and its visitors.
Want to streamline your incentive programs? Schedule a demo with our product experts to learn how Ripe can help optimize your destination’s promotions.
