DoubleTree by Hilton Announces “DTour of a Lifetime” Contest Winners for Unprecedented Travel Experiences across Six Continents

DoubleTree by Hilton announced today the six lucky 'DTourists' who won incredible travel opportunities to the six continents where DoubleTree by Hilton hotels are located through the full-service brand's DTour of a Lifetime competition, the first custom contest held on YouTube by a hotel brand.

DoubleTree by Hilton conducted the DTour of a Lifetime competition to celebrate the May 2013 launch of DTour (www.doubletree.com/dtour), a first-of-its-kind YouTube channel for the hotel industry created in collaboration with Google. The DTour site offers travelers a whole new way to plan and share their trips.

"DoubleTree's DTour of a Lifetime contest winners have the unique opportunity to explore a continent and create lasting memories that they will share with travel enthusiasts across the world online on the DTour site," said Julia Dimon, DTour spokesperson, self-proclaimed "travel junkie" and host of National Geographic Adventure's Word Travels and MSNBC's Destination Getaway. "The DoubleTree by Hilton diverse portfolio of hotels across the globe provides the perfect platform for travel junkies like me to discover different parts of the world."

The six winners will serve as brand ambassadors, traveling around the world, experiencing DoubleTree by Hilton hospitality, meeting locals and curating their own travel tips and stories for DTour. Each "DTourist" will embark on a two-week to two-month adventure to one of the six continents where DoubleTree by Hilton properties are located. Their "assignment" is to capture and share the highlights of their journey on the DTour website via blog entries, photos, videos and social media posts.

The following winners are awarded with incredible travel experiences, featuring stays in several iconic DoubleTree by Hilton properties across the world:

• Virginia Stuart-Taylor (London, UK) will journey across North America, featuring sunny beaches and big city fun. Born to travel with the spirit of a true adventurer, Virginia would hop from country to country for the rest of her life if she could. Ever-curious and wandering, Virginia views life as a never-ending lesson to be learned in different time zones, climates, cultures and communities.
• Jenn Winter (Chicago, IL) relies on the traveler within her whenever she reaches a new destination, taking time to contemplate the culture, people, views and wonders around her. Jenn will embark on an exciting trek among the cities and cathedrals of Europe.
• Jenny Lowthrop (Derbyshire, UK) will experience an adventure that spans the length of Africa and the Middle East, including South Africa, Seychelles and Tanzania. For Jenny, there is nowhere too typical, too outrageous, too hot or too cold to travel to. She says she loves the world too much to let time go by without her next adventure planned.
• Loren Klein (Albuquerque, NM) will adventure across Australia - where DoubleTree by Hilton just opened its first three hotels earlier this year. He goes wherever the wind takes him and prefers to let his instincts guide him through cities, where the details determine themselves. He says he travels because it inspires him to be a better husband, friend, designer, and cook, and it makes him feel the most alive he can be.
• MJ Tam (Chicago, IL) is the socially-connected traveler, taking her social media followers on adventures with her through endless updates, photos, videos and more. You can trust that she will pack light, always have a map and be ready to share every move she makes. She will take an excursion through Asia, featuring visits to China, India, Thailand and Malaysia.
• Megan Claire Donoghue (Fort Myers, FL) having journeyed to over 30 countries, is an expert assimilator into local cultures and communities and a firm believer in tallying up the little things to make any experience the greatest it can be. Megan says one of the best contributions she can make to the world is sharing her experiences to inspire others to explore. She will visit to the tropical beaches and rain forests of Central and South America.

The DTourist winners will document their adventures on the DTour website, allowing users to virtually experience the journeys alongside the winners. Users can also explore other travelers' favorite photos, videos, tips and stories to get inspired to plan the trips they've always wanted to take.

"At DoubleTree by Hilton, we are all about getting the little things, or simple details, right and creating memories that will last a lifetime. This comes across in everything we do - from our warm, signature chocolate chip cookie welcome to our newly-launched DTour travel community," said John Greenleaf, global head, DoubleTree by Hilton. "We are excited to give our six DTour contest winners the opportunity to expand their horizons and explore different parts of the world, just as DoubleTree by Hilton is also expanding globally with more than 60 properties in 17 countries set to open worldwide this year alone."

DTour integrates all major social media networks in one place, making it easy for travelers to share memorable moments from their domestic and global adventures- whether it's a photo snapped on Instagram or video uploaded to other social media channels. The site features tips, videos and suggestions from some of the most knowledgeable destination experts - the hotel team members themselves. Through a section called "DTour Guides," DoubleTree by Hilton team members across the globe can share their advice on must-see hotspots or tips for getting around from a local perspective.

Following the DTour of a Lifetime contest, DoubleTree by Hilton is launching a series of bi-monthly sweepstakes coinciding with inspirational themes selected to guide the DTour content and conversations. For these sweepstakes, trips will be awarded to locations including Costa Rica; Washington, D.C.; New York, New York; Miami, FL; and Breckinridge, CO.

DTour and DTour of a Lifetime are the latest in a series of DoubleTree by Hilton promotions that celebrate the company's ongoing global expansion and its unique culture of CARE (Create a Rewarding Experience). DTour site visitors can also get information on and make reservations at DoubleTree by Hilton's more than 350 hotels in 30 countries.

For more information and images related to the DTour of a Lifetime competition, visit our multi-media newsroom at news.doubletree.com/dtourists.