GTM dataLayer to GA - google-analytics

Question

Im looking into some better data tracking for our website.
User would do a search on a search form for hotels.
It will populate the datalayer with useful information, ie:
dataLayer = [
'event' => 'hotelSearch',
'destination' => 'London',
'date' => '2015-12-01',
'stay' => '5 nights'
];
I would like to store those custom data into Google Analytics with the help of GTM.
Is that something that is possible?
So the marketer here can go into GA, have a look at how many people searched for London in the last week or see whats the average stay per destination?
Thanks

Answer 1

As long as you are pushing the needed values into the datalayer, you can leverage GTM to grab those values by creating new variables for each dataLayer parameter. Not only will that data be available in GA now, but you can use them however you want through GTM.
To create a custom dimension in GA, just go to the Property column in the admin console and select Custom Dimension:
Create custom dimensions in your GA account to capture those values that you are pushing (note the limit of custom dimensions though, which is 20). When you go to plug that custom dimension into GTM, remember the slot number you've created it in (slot 7 in this example):
To grab those values through GTM, create new variables for each parameter, one for "destination", one for "name", and for "stay". Be sure to use the exact name as you are using in the dataLayer:
Now when you push the values into the dataLayer, they will be available for you to use in GTM. The values will then be shown in your GA reports.

Answer 2

In Google Analytics Admin
Custom Definitions -> Custom Dimensions -> NEW -> Name: Destination; scope HIT (cd1)
Name: Stay; scope HIT (cd2)
Name: Date; scope HIT (cd3)
In Google Tag Manager
Config Tag with your custom event configuration:
More Settings -> Custom Dimensions -> index: 1 - Dimension Value: {{destination}};
2 - Dimension Value: {{stay}};
3 - Dimension Value: {{date}};