Social Media Travel & Tourism Worldwide: August 2011

Climb a mountain? Learn to surf? Skydive? If given the opportunity, what's the number one activity you'd like to accomplish within your lifetime? According to a recent Hilton Garden Inn survey*, nearly seven out of 10 Americans have created some type of ultimate 'to-do' list with 'travel,' 'achieving a professional goal,' and 'volunteering for a cause' identified as the most popular goals. To help Americans achieve these goals, today Hilton Garden Inn launched the 'Life's Ultimate To-Do List' contest, which gives consumers the chance to make their ultimate travel 'to-do' a reality.

The contest, which runs until September 2nd on Hilton Garden Inn's Facebook page, invites consumers to share their top "to-do list" item, which will serve as their entry into the contest. Entries will also be collected to create the 'Ultimate To-Do List,' a comprehensive guide of fun and interesting things to explore across the globe, which will live on the hotel brand's Facebook page. At contest close, 10 grand prize winners will be chosen by Hilton Garden Inn to have their to-do list item fulfilled. Each winner will receive a 3-day/2-night trip totaling approximately $5,000, which includes roundtrip airfare to the destination of their choice for the winner and a guest, hotel accommodations at any Hilton Garden Inn around the globe and money to spend on the activity.

"We know the majority of Americans have dreams of exploring and achieving a wide variety of goals within their lifetime and we want to help them become wildly successful in their pursuits," said Judy Christa-Cathey, vice president, Global Brand Marketing for Hilton Garden Inn. "Rafting the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, taking a photo safari in Africa and visiting every country in the world top my ultimate to-do list and now Hilton Garden Inn's 'Life's Ultimate To-Do List' contest gives consumers the opportunity to check off their ultimate travel bucket list goal. The goals we collect will also allow us to create and share a fantastic guide to traveling the world."

In support of the contest, Hilton Garden Inn recently conducted a survey*, which uncovered the following insights into American's lifetime to-do lists:

Travel tops the lists of American's ultimate lifetime to-dos. More than three-quarters (83%) of those who have a to-do list say that traveling to a special destination is one of the top items they'd like to complete.
More than one-third (32%) of Americans said the main reason they created their ultimate to-do list was to see new places.
In addition to travel, popular goals on ultimate to-do lists include achieving a professional goal (61%), volunteering for a cause (59%) and doing something mentally or physically challenging (53%).
Nearly one-quarter (23%) of Americans say they create to-do lists to challenge themselves and 19 percent say a to-do list helps prioritize all the things they want to accomplish.
Almost three-quarters (72%) of people with to-do lists share their goals and experiences with others, and 76 percent of people hope to carry out their to-do list item with another person instead of by themselves.
A surprising 20 percent of Americans list rekindling an old relationship at the top of their to-do list.
Many Americans (41%) are not confident in their ability to check everything off their list, with 57 percent admitting lack of funds is the top barrier preventing them from achieving their to-do list goals. Only 28 percent believe they will be able to check off the next item on their list within the next year.

To enter the contest, read the consumer-generated Ultimate To-Do list, and for more information, visit the Hilton Garden Inn Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HiltonGardenInn. For access to media materials and assets, please visit www.hgimediacenter.com/ultimatetodolist.

* To better understand Americans' attitudes and behaviors related to ultimate to-do lists, Hilton Garden Inn conducted an omnibus survey of Americans, 18 years of age and older. ORC international fielded the telephone survey among a nationally representative sample of 1,011 Americans over the age of 18. Interviewing for these CARAVAN® Surveys was completed between April 21 and April 24, 2011. Results have a margin of error of +/- 3.1% at the 95% confidence level.

A full version of the press release can be viewed here http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hilton-garden-inn-launches-lifes-ultimate-to-do-list-contest-127298468.html

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