Players in the Holiday Inn Express Travel Smart Quiz have been battling to prove their travel knowledge.
SINGAPORE – After twelve weeks of fierce competition from players in seven countries across Asia, Middle East and Africa, the quest to be crowned the Ultimate Travel Smart Champion is now a reality for one lucky winner in Singapore. The Holiday Inn Express Travel Smart Quiz drew participation from more than 1,400 players, competing for the title in a total of over 4,600 minutes of game time.
The results of the quiz revealed some interesting statistics from across the seven markets:
- The majority of players didn’t know the location (country) of the legendary city of Timbuktu
- 533 players identified the Kiwi fruit as the national fruit of New Zealand but only 313 knew the colours of the Romanian national flag
- Players in Singapore answered the most questions correctly, followed by India and South Africa
- The Free Spirit personality was selected by the most number of players
- Most players knew more facts about other countries than their own
- Singapore, the smallest country in size, provided the most number of players
- The majority of weekly prize winners came from Thailand
The online travel competition, which kicked off in June 2013, challenged and rewarded players based on their travel trivia wits. Players, who selected one of four travel personalities, were pitted against each other in a bid to win weekly prizes of IHG Rewards Club Points and for a shot to be the overall champion.
The four travel personalities available for players to pick from included the Adventurer, the Planner, the Socialiser or the Free Spirit. They then competed in the trivia quiz, by answering as many multiple choice travel trivia questions as possible in one minute.
Prizes were awarded in the form of IHG Rewards Club points and more than 2.8 million points were awarded to contestants from seven countries over the 12 week game – the equivalent of staying in a Holiday Inn Express hotel for almost five months. Winners can use their points to redeem hotel nights at any of IHG’s (InterContinental Hotels Group) 4,600 properties around the world, travel packages, experiences or merchandise, from music and magazines to household goods. IHG Rewards Club is the world’s largest hotel loyalty programme.
On becoming the Ultimate Travel Smart Champion, Joseph Lum Wee Loon commented, “Competition from my opponents was fierce but I was determined to win the top prize. While I really do love the fact that I earned the title of Travel Smart Champion, the real highlight for me is winning the IHG Rewards Club points, giving me the possibility to explore new places while staying at any of IHG’s hotels around the world, as I love to travel.”
“We already know that our Holiday Inn Express guests are savvy travellers but the Travel Smart Quiz really gave them a chance to prove just how much they really know by competing with players across the region, from South Africa to Australia. We’d like to congratulate Joseph and all the rest of the winners and hope our properties helps make the experience all the more special,” says Lee Lin Teo, Director of Brand Management, Holiday Inn Brand Family, Asia, Middle East and Africa.
Holiday Inn Express was launched in 1991, offering smart travellers a straightforward and efficient hotel experience, whilst allowing them to make the most of their budget. All Holiday Inn Express hotels offer guests free Wi-Fi and a free Express Start or Grab & Go breakfast. It is one of the world’s fastest-growing hotel brands, with 2,208 properties open worldwide and an average of two new hotels opening every week.
Holiday Inn Express made its brand debut in Singapore in July. Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road is located in the heart of Orchard Road, Singapore’s famous shopping and entertainment district. Meanwhile, Holiday Inn Express Clarke Quay is due to open in Q1 2014, located just minutes away from Singapore’s trendiest riverside nightspots and dining options. The brand continues to grow in South East Asia with a total of 18 hotels due to open over the next five years: Indonesia (13), Thailand (2), Malaysia (2) and Singapore (1).
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
