From The Raleigh News & Observer
Flash Sales Spread to Lodging Industry
As the general manager of the new Hotel Breakwater on Miami's crowded South Beach, Axel Gasser is eager to drive traffic to his 100-room property. Gasser and his staff found a solution in the latest travel fad: flash sales - short-term sales lasting from a few hours to a couple of weeks that help hoteliers and airlines to fill unbooked space at deeply discounted rates. "We have to give a higher discount than we like to do, but the exposure is just absolutely tremendous," said Gasser, who said the hotel picked up more than 500 room nights from a quick sale on a few websites last week, before the Labor Day holiday. "It's a good investment to get the maximum exposure." Click here for the full story.