Roomsaver
Type | Hotel coupon guide |
---|---|
Format | Tabloid, Web |
Owner(s) | Travel Media Group |
Publisher | Travel Media Group |
Founded | 1982 |
Language | English |
Circulation | 36 million (annually) |
Website | https://www.hotelcoupons.com |
RoomSaver (now " The HotelCoupons.com Guide") is a North American hotel coupon guide distributed free of charge at welcome centers, rest areas, travel plazas, restaurants, gas stations, and other stops along the interstates[1][2][3] of the continental U.S.
In March, 2012, Roomsaver.com was officially rebranded to HotelCoupons.com and the RoomSaver print guide was renamed to The HotelCoupons.com Guide.[4]
The publication provides discount coupons, maps, and hotel locations for over 5,200 hotels, motels, and resorts throughout the lower 48 states [5] and parts of Canada.
Roomsaver.com and HotelCoupons.com is owned by Travel Media Group,[6] (A Dominion Enterprises company).
Circulation
More than 36 million HotelCoupons.com Guides are published annually.[7]
In 2011 more than 1,200,000 coupons were printed.[8]
Guides' First Year
- Greater America ID/MT/WY/ND/SD/NE/KS/MN/IA/WI 1997
- Mid America IL/IN/KY/MI/MO/OH 1997
- Arkansas/Oklahoma/Texas 1997
- Ohio 1997
- Kentucky 1997
- Indiana 1997
- Michigan 1997
- Missouri 1997
- Kansas 1997
- Colorado 1997
- Four Corners AZ/CO/NM/UT 1997
- Arizona/New Mexico 1997
- Northwest OR/WA 1997
- California/Nevada 1997
- California 1997
- Texas 1997
- Northeast ME/NH/VT/MA/RI/CT/NY/NJ/PA/DE/MD/DC/VA 1984
- Alabama 1997
- Louisiana/Mississippi 1997
- Tennessee 1997
- Mid Atlantic MD/DC/VA/WV 1986
- North Carolina 1986
- Georgia 1985
- South Carolina 1987
- North Carolina/South Carolina 1985
- Florida 1982
- Illinois 1997
- Pennsylvania 1989
History
RoomSaver was founded by Wilson McKinney in 1982[9] as Exit Information Guide. McKinney, the owner of a sign and billboard business[10] , noticed that motels advertising on billboards were not communicating well to tired, nighttime drivers because the signs were unlit and difficult to see. McKinney wanted to communicate with these drivers in a new way, so he created an information guide for interstate travelers to be distributed along major roadways. McKinney started the company out of his Gainseville, Florida home with only three employees. Initially, the coupon booklet gave advertising space to motels for free and charged travelers a small fee. After a short time, McKinney changed his business model, making the booklet free to travelers and charging motels.
The Exit Information Guide became The Traveler Discount Guide in 1987. In January 1999, the company was sold to a venture capital group, The Richards Group, which sold the publication to Trader Publishing Company in November 2000.[11]
Trader’s parent, Landmark Communications (now Landmark Media Enterprises, LLC), split the company in 2006, creating Dominion Enterprises.
RoomSaver.com
RoomSaver's website was located at RoomSaver.com, where travelers could search for featured motels and discounts, read travel tips, subscribe to their newsletter, and become a member of their Travel Club. The website was created in 1999 to complement the RoomSaver print guide. In April 2008 RoomSaver.com was redesigned and re-engineered to update its appearance; it made searching for coupons simpler and added enhanced features such as maps and driving directions. Using City Search, visitors can view results on an interactive map, and the Advanced Search option allows visitors to screen properties by chain, amenities, and rate range. Roomsaver.com also features a Travel Club to save "clipped" online coupons and sign up for e-mail updates for destination cities.
In March, 2012, Roomsaver.com was officially rebranded to HotelCoupons.com and the RoomSaver print guide was renamed to The HotelCoupons.com Guide.[4] The site was launched with a new design and functionality, but maintains the same general mission.
See also
References
- ↑ San Diego Business Journal, February 28, 2000 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5247/is_9_21/ai_n28766062/?tag=rel.res1
- ↑ Behind the wheel, travel sans the glamour The New York Times, January 20, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/20/business/worldbusiness/20iht-20road.19522398.html
- ↑ An overlooked deal for hotel rooms Boston Globe, November 13, 2007 http://www.boston.com/travel/blog/2007/11/an_overlooked_d.html
- 1 2 http://travelmediagroup.com/files/2012/11/TravelMediaGroupUnveilsMajorRebrandRELEASE.pdf
- ↑ http://www.dominionenterprises.com/main/do/businesses/id/6/category/For%20Consumers
- ↑ "About - HotelCoupons.com". hotelcoupons.com.
- ↑ "About - HotelCoupons.com". hotelcoupons.com.
- ↑ "Hotelcoupons.com - Travel Media Group". Travel Media Group.
- ↑ Exit Information Guide Hotel & Motel Management, August 9, 1999 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3072/is_14_214/ai_n27551750/?tag=rel.res2
- ↑ Discount coupon book now available on the Internet Toronto Star - Toronto, Ont February 19, 2000 http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/426589421.html?dids=426589421:426589421&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+19%2C+2000&author=&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Discount+coupon+book+now+available+on+the+Internet&pqatl=google
- ↑ Exit Information Guide has been acquired by Virginia-based Trader Publishing Co Hotel & Motel Management, January 15, 2001 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3072/is_1_216/ai_n27565729/