REPORT FROM THE U.S.—On 30 November, millions of American consumers will be busy clicking their way to big online holiday deals—but they likely won’t be finding many hotel specials during their shopping sprees.

The throng of online bargain hunters on the first Monday after Black Friday, which kicks off the holiday shopping season, has become so large that the day has been given its own nickname: Cyber Monday.

There’s expected to be a lot of retail noise on Cyber Monday. Shop.org, a division of the National Retail Federation, expects nearly nine out of 10 retailers will offer some sort of promotion on Cyber Monday.

This “retail clutter” makes it difficult for hotels to get their deals noticed, said Henry Harteveldt, travel industry analyst at Forrester Research.

“You have to be careful what you market,” he said. “No one has the marketing dollars to waste. You don’t want your message to get lost.”

Harteveldt added he had no numbers indicating how well hoteliers have performed during past Cyber Mondays.

That said, Harteveldt believes there is a chance for hotel companies to elbow their way into the crowded field.

“This is an opportunity for hotels to craft a tactical message and to start getting out on social media like Facebook, blogs and Twitter,” Harteveldt said. “They can say, ‘Hey, we’re going to have an offer on Monday.’”

He also advised that hoteliers ensure their Internet systems are up and running because consumers might also click over to hotel Web sites while they do their holiday shopping.

“If your server goes down,” he said, “you’re going to have some unhappy customers.”

But while many hotel companies will sit out Cyber Monday, there are some that plan to join the fray.

Jumping in

One company that will have an offering in place for its customers is Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, which has rolled out its “Hyatt Wish List” Web site. The site allows visitors to plan their ideal trip, and then share the trip with others who can purchase gifts like spa visits, horseback riding, mountain biking or other similar Hyatt-sponsored activities.

Henry Harteveldt, Forrester Research

Jason Wolf, director of gift card and certificate operations for Hyatt, said the company opted to roll out the site on 1 November in order to have it ready for the holiday rush.

“If you launch on Cyber Monday, people are already going to have an idea of where they want to go,” Wolf said. “That’s why companies look to leak their deals beforehand.”

Wolf said he isn’t concerned with having to compete with the slew of retailers who are pushing their products.

“People will go to the brands they know,” he said. “But people who want to learn about travel, be it through Bing, Google or Yahoo, I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised to find something new.”

Other hotels that will try to cash in on Cyber Monday include Choice Hotels International, which will offer special deals at some of its properties, such as its “Shop and Dine Package” in Kissimmee, Florida, where for a three-night minimum stay customers get a discount at the hotel’s on-site restaurant and a coupon book for the Lake Buena Vista Factory Outlet Mall. Meanwhile, Starwood’s Cyber Monday offering will include special rates at 50 of the company’s locations.

And at least one online travel agent also will try to hook customers with its Cyber Monday promotion.

Hotels.com is planning a promotional offer to coincide with Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The site will offer more than 200 properties in 100 locations at a 50-percent discount for a four-night stay, said Vic Walia, director of marketing.

This is the third year that Hotels.com has offered the deal, Walia said.

“It’s been very successful,” he said. “Cyber Monday is a great online time for shopping. It’s a great time for surfers looking for a deal.”