LONDON - With more than 2 million Brits[1] expected to book holidays this month, it's clear that many are eager to escape the dreary winter days ahead; and with good reason. According to Happiness Expert Alexandra Watson, traveling during the winter months can provide more than just a suntan; it can also increase personal happiness during the most depressing time of the year. To help beat the winter blues, Hilton HHonors, the loyalty program for Hilton Worldwide's 10 distinct hotel brands, commissioned a study to identify Europe's top 10 happiest cities to travel to during the winter months. In addition, HHonors is offering its More Points promotion, rewarding members who travel through March 31 with extra Bonus Points.
"With one in six Brits working more than 60 hours a week[2], it's no wonder our happiness levels are low," said Alexandra Watson, happiest expert and author of The Happiness System for Women, "There is a direct correlation between traveling and happiness levels, so booking your next trip could be the best way to boost your mood - especially if you visit one of the 'happy' destinations."
The destinations, selected by Sperling's BestPlaces, were judged by their ranking in a number of categories, including relaxation, nature, culture, climate, uniqueness, accessibility and urban appeal. Moreover, each of the cities was scored based on the following: its annual number of sunny days and average high and low temperatures in January. Cyprus topped the poll due to its warm climate, relaxing atmosphere and cultural offerings.
Hilton HHonors Happiest Winter Travel Destinations in Europe
|
RANK |
CITY |
HIGHLIGHT |
WHERE TO STAY* |
|
1 |
Nicosia, Cyprus |
Weather: Winter temperatures get as high as 18oC, Cyprus is said to be the warmest place in the European Union |
|
|
2 |
Palma, Majorca |
Culture: Alcudia Old Town a 14th century walled section of the city is full of shopping and good food |
|
|
3 |
Sardinia, Italy |
Nature: "Trenino Verde," the Little Green Train is a great way to explore the scenery of the island |
|
|
4 |
Vilamoura, Portugal |
Relax: Enjoy the great outdoors by playing a round of golf or going horseback riding |
|
|
5 |
Sorrento, Italy |
Nature: Renowned for the most beautiful scenery in Italy |
|
|
6 |
Barcelona, Spain |
Culture: Stroll down Las Ramblas to experience the hustle and bustle of the city to its fullest |
|
|
7 |
Istanbul, Turkey |
Culture: Dip in the Turkish bath or wander round the colourful Grand Bazaar full of Turkish ceramics, carpets and jewelry |
|
|
8 |
Prague, Czech Republic |
Culture: Choco-Story Praha or chocolate museum will help to boost your happiness levels |
|
|
9 |
Munich, Germany |
Culinary excellence: Sarcletti the famous ice cream parlour, offers more than 40 flavours |
|
|
10 |
Varna, Bulgaria |
Relax: Take a walk around the Stone Forest, a strange natural phenomenon of natural stone pillars which may have once been at the bottom of the sea |
|
*For additional hotels in these locations, please visit www.hiltonworldwide.com.
"One of the easiest ways to improve happiness levels is by spending more quality time with friends and family. For many of us the best way to do this is whilst on holiday or a mini break," said Watson. "The process of planning and booking a holiday or mini break provides us with certainty, meaning that we have assurance of an event and something to look forward to."
Providing travelers extra incentive to book a trip now, the Hilton HHonors More Points promotion offers members a chance to earn 1,000 Bonus Points per night plus an additional 5,000 Bonus Points for every two-night weekend stay at participating properties within the Hilton Worldwide portfolio. From now through March 31, 2012, members can register at HHonors.com/MorePoints.
"Every day, our employees come to work at our more than 3,800 hotels in 88 countries with the number one goal of making our guests happy," said Jeff Diskin, senior vice president, global customer marketing, Hilton Worldwide. "During these dreary winter months, we hope to ensure happiness comes even easier with our More Points promotion, allowing travelers to earn more HHonors points with each stay."
For additional information or to register for the More Points promotion, visit HHonors.com/MorePoints. A weekend stay entails any night Thursday through Sunday, with a minimum of a two-night stay. Bonus Points earned are in addition to the standard points received per night for the length of the stay. To become a Hilton HHonors member, visit HHonors.com.
[1] ABTA 2012 Travel trends
[2] Office of National Statistics
Contact:
Scott Carman
Hilton Worldwide
(703) 883-5803
scott.carman@hilton.com
news.hiltonhhonors.com
Sperling's BestPlaces
For over 20 years, Bert Sperling has been helping people find their own "Best Place" to live. His firm, Sperling's BestPlaces, puts facts about cities and quality of life in the hands of the public, so they can make better decisions about best places to live, work, retire, play, or relocate. Sperling's has authored two best-sellers, "Cities Ranked and Rated" and "Best Places to Raise your Family," published by John Wiley. More information about Bert Sperling and Sperling's BestPlaces is available at www.bestplaces.net.
About Hilton HHonors
Hilton HHonors, the award-winning guest-loyalty program for Hilton Worldwide’s 10 distinct hotel brands, offers its 34 million members more ways to earn and redeem points than any other guest-loyalty program, enabling them to create experiences worth sharing at more than 3,900 hotels in 90 countries and territories. HHonors members can now redeem points for any room, anywhere, anytime, including the most luxurious suites, using any of four room rewards: Premium Room Rewards, Room Upgrade Rewards, Points & Money Rewards and Standard Room Rewards. In addition, HHonors members can use points to purchase unique experience rewards, merchandise and vacation packages, make charitable contributions and more. HHonors is also the only guest-loyalty program to offer ‘No Blackout Dates’ and ‘Points & Miles’ for the same stay at its properties worldwide, including participating Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels& Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. Membership in HHonors is free, and travelers may enroll online by visiting www.HiltonHHonors.com or connect with Hilton HHonors at news.hiltonhhonors.com.
About Hilton Worldwide
Hilton Worldwide is a leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For 94 years, Hilton Worldwide has offered business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Its brands are comprised of more than 3,900 hotels and timeshare properties, with more than 650,000 rooms in 90 countries and territories and include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors®. Visit
www.hiltonworldwide.com for more information and connect with Hilton Worldwide at
www.facebook.com/hiltonworldwide,
www.twitter.com/hiltonworldwide,
www.youtube.com/hiltonworldwide,
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www.linkedin.com/company/hilton-worldwide.
