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SILVER SPRING, Md., May 7, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ –
Nearly one-in-five (18%) Americans plan to take more vacation trips during this summer than last summer but are keeping value for their travel dollars top of mind, according to a national survey conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of Choice Hotels International among 2,199 U.S. adults in April.

According to the survey, a vast majority (87%) of Americans indicate that they plan to take more or about the same number of trips this summer compared to what they did last year. Further, over two-in-five (42%) Americans report that they plan to take two or more trips this summer.

Results also indicate that a vast majority (84%) of Americans who will take vacations plan to travel primarily by car for at least one of their trips and plan on racking up an average of 1,172 miles on their leisure travel this summer. Americans report that they plan to take an average of two trips away from home during the summer months.

And these aren’t just day trips that summer travelers are looking to take this year. Almost all (94%) of Americans traveling this summer plan to spend at least one night away from home and a majority (72%) expect to spend at least one night in a hotel. In fact, over one-third of American travelers plan to spend five nights or more in hotels during their summer vacations.

“People are looking to travel again, plain and simple,” said Steve Joyce, president and CEO of Choice Hotels International, Inc.

/quotes/zigman/187443/quotes/nls/chh CHH
-1.43%

. “When people have jobs and feel secure in those jobs, they’re going to be more likely to travel for pleasure and that’s what we’re anticipating as the summer travel season kicks into gear.”

So what are travelers looking for in making their summer travel plans this year? One word–value. Nine in ten Americans that plan to travel this summer and stay in a hotel indicate that getting a good value for their money is extremely important, very important or important in their hotel selection.

“The recession taught us an important lesson about looking for value and ways to stretch dollars–and that lesson applies to people’s vacations too,” added Joyce. “With consumer confidence on the rise and unemployment on the decline, people are more comfortable with traveling again but they’re doing so with a value mindset, and the free breakfast, free internet, and free parking at most of our hotels, as well as the best rate guarantee from Choice’s website, appeals to that value orientation.”

Americans who will vacation this summer rank free breakfast the highest among areas where hotels can demonstrate that they provide good value for the money (75%). Among other areas of opportunity for hotels to provide value for the majority of summer travelers are best rate guarantees (62%), free parking (60%), and free high-speed Internet access (58%). Americans that plan to travel this summer feel that hotels (27%) deliver the greatest value for the money when compared to cruise lines (17%), rental cars (10%), airlines (9%), and gas stations (7%).

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Choice Hotels International from April 13-17, 2012 among 2,199 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Rocco Loverro at Choice Hotels. For the context of this survey and news release, “vacation trip” will be defined as 100 miles or more roundtrip from home and “summer” as the months of June, July, and August.

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is one of the world’s leading custom market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers expertise in a wide range of industries including healthcare, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Serving clients in over 215 countries and territories through our North American and European offices and a network of independent market research firms, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us – and our clients – stay ahead of what’s next. For more information, please visit
www.harrisinteractive.com .

About Choice Hotels

Choice Hotels International, Inc. franchises more than 6,100 hotels, representing more than 495,000 rooms, in the United States and more than 30 other countries and territories. As of March 31, 2012, more than 350 hotels were under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in the United States, representing more than 30,000 rooms, and approximately 80 hotels, representing approximately 7,000 rooms, were under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in approximately 20 other countries and territories. The company’s Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn brands serve guests worldwide. In addition, via its Ascend Collection membership program, travelers in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean have upscale lodging options at historic, boutique and unique hotels.

Additional corporate information may be found on the Choice Hotels International, Inc. website, which may be accessed at
www.choicehotels.com .

Choice Hotels, Choice Hotels International, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn and Ascend Collection are proprietary trademarks and service marks of Choice Hotels International.© 2012 Choice Hotels International, Inc. All rights reserved.

SOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc.

Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

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CHH

Choice Hotels International Inc.

US

: U.S.: NYSE

$
36.44

-0.53
-1.43%

Volume: 45,421
May 14, 2012 3:53p

P/E Ratio18.51
Dividend Yield2.03%

Market Cap$2.15 billion
Rev. per Employee$456,101

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One baseball team that is hot and another that is not will meet in the third and final game of the Nebraska-Creighton series Tuesday at 7 pm at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha. The game will be televised on NET (channel 12).

Nebraska (29-18) won the first game of a three-game series at Big Ten rival Indiana last weekend but was swept in Sundays doubleheader. The Huskers fell to seventh place in the conference while Indiana took over second place.

Creighton (18-23) lost the first game of its series with Bradley last weekend, but won the next two with ninth-inning rallies to win its first Missouri Valley Conference series of the season.

Nebraska may be a little travel weary, as the Huskers were stuck in Indianapolis all day Monday trying to fly back to Lincoln.

The Huskers have won the first two games against Creighton this season — 5-3 in Lincoln on April 10 and 4-1 in Omaha on April 24. This year, NU has swept only Kansas State in a series longer than two games.

Nebraska will start junior right-hander Tom Lemke (3-3, 3.99 earned-run average), who in his last appearance threw 2/3 innings in a loss to Purdue on April 20. He last started April 6, a 5-4 loss to Iowa.

The Huskers are still one of the best hitting teams in the Big Ten with a .313 team batting average. Six NU regulars are batting better than .300, with leadoff hitter Michael Pritchard leading the way at .379. Josh Schefffert is next at .363, followed by Richard Stock (.359), Chad Christensen (.321), Kash Kalkowski (.320) and Rich Sanguinetti (.310). NU is sixth in the conference in pitching, led by freshman Kyle Kubat at 3-0, with a 2.50 ERA.

The Huskers play host to Minnesota in a three-game series this weekend, starting Friday at 6:35 pm NU then host Wichita State on May 15 and finishes the regular season with a three-game series at Michigan. The top six teams in the Big Ten advance to the conference tournament May 23-27 in Columbus, Ohio.

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Representing the 14.4 million US jobs supported by the US travel industry, employees nationwide will rally on May 8 to highlight the jobs and economic impact created by travel, the USTravel Association reports.

With more than 120 cities and states holding rallies and events, this years National Travel and Tourism Week nearly doubles last years participation and sets a new record, U.S Travel says..

Travel and tourism supports 14.4 million jobs across the nation, said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the US Travel Association. These rallies celebrate the benefits of travel to local communities and states, and they let elected officials and local citizens know that a vote for travel is a vote for jobs.

Many events will use the Vote Travel theme, which coincides with the US Travel Associations year-long campaign to raise the travel industrys profile across the country and among policymakers during this election season.

Travel is a broad and diverse industry employing a vast workforce, from airline and hotel employees to restaurant, attraction and retail workers. Travel further supports employees in other industry sectors, such as construction, manufacturing and finance, the association says.

Travel is a force that can drive our nations economic recovery. It is one of the healthiest sectors of our economy in terms of job creation and hiring, employing one out of every nine Americans, said Dow. During this election season, we are galvanizing support and asking Americans to Vote Travel and showcase the power of our industry and its impact on our economy.

Travel and tourism generated $1.9 trillion in economic output for the US economy in 2011. The industry also represents one of Americas largest employers, supporting 14.4 million jobs (including 7.5 million directly in the travel industry and 6.9 million in other industries). Direct spending by domestic and international travelers averaged $2.2 billion a day, $92.8 million an hour, $1.5 million a minute and $25,700 a second.

Visit www.ustravel.org.

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Ducks on Beaver Dam Lake near Tahoe Park in this file photo. Members of the Beaver Dam Lake Improvement Association and Dr. Jeffrey Thomton of Environmental Horizons Inc. presented the basics of a study to be completed in the next year and a half. Those results will be incorporated into an action plan to bring real results to the state’s 16th largest lake.

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  In this June 4, 2009 file photo, Cuban coast guards, right, stop men from trying to migrate illegally to the US on a foam raft near Havanas Malecon. Cubas government appears on the verge of a momentous decision that could end a half-century of travel restrictions that make it difficult to leave the Communist-run island, even for vacation. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano, File)

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All The Way From Timbuktou offers fair trade, organic, unrefined whipped Shea Butter Cream and Shea Butter Skin Care products for women, men and children. All products are handcrafted in small batches to ensure quality and the well-being of your skin.

SPECIAL OFFER! Mommies Day Special! 25% off all Whipped Shea Butter Creams,Bath Gels, and Lotions. Expires 5/15/2012.

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Organic Shea Butter is Whipped into the ultimate perfection with other pure and natural oils for the nourishment of your skin. Shea is a very powerful moisturizing agent. It also Protects against wind and sun damage. It aids against wrinkles and helps corrects skin conditions such as dry, cracked, itchy, chaffed weathered skin. Because Shea Butter is so rich, your skin will soft for days even after one application! It also serves as a wonderful message oil too!

For expectant mommies to be, Shea helps reduce the appearance of stretch marks, and May help protect against stretch marks.

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The organic, non-greasy eye cream formula will not feel like you have eggs under your eyes. However one of the most sensitive part of your face will feel pampered with nutrients and protected from the harmful rays of the sun. The eye cream can be used both in the mornings under makeup or at bed time. Because of the collagen properties naturally found in Shea, it helps against crows feet.

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allthewayfromtimbuktou.com

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ANN ARBOR, Mich., May 7, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ –
Mobiata, developer of some of the most popular travel apps on the market, announced today that its popular app FlightBoard was named the best travel app of the year in the 2012 Webby Awards competition. FlightBoard, which launched in June 2010, is available on iPhone, iPad and Android devices. Cited as a must-have app for the frequent traveler, it was designed after the Arrivals and Departures Board at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and turns a user’s screen into an arrival and departures board for any airport in the world.

“This award is a great testament to the creativity of the Mobiata team,” said Ben Kazez, GM and founder of Mobiata. “We created this app not only to be useful for frequent travelers, but also to showcase beautiful design and convey the romance of travel.”

Mobiata will be honored at the star-studded, live online broadcast of The Webby Awards from New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom on Monday, May 21, 2012. The following day, fans will be able to watch The Webby Awards, including Mobiata’s 5-word speech, at
http://www.webbyawards.com and The Webby Awards Facebook page at
http://www.facebook.com/TheWebbyAwards . A full list of both Webby Awards and People’s Voice Awards winners can be found at
http://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/current.php?season=16 .

Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet, including websites, interactive advertising & media, online film & video, and mobile & apps. The Webby Awards is presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a 750-person judging academy whose members include Martha Stewart, Darren Aronofsky, R/GA’s Chief Bob Greenberg, David Bowie, Arianna Huffington and Twitter’s Biz Stone.

The 16th Annual Webby Awards received nearly 10,000 entries from over 60 countries and all 50 U.S. states. Founded in 1996, The Webby Awards are known worldwide for its famous 5-word speech limit. Past Webby Award winners – and their speeches – include Al Gore (“Please don’t recount this vote.”), Beastie Boys (“Can anyone fix my computer?”), and Stephen Colbert (“Me. Me. Me. Me. Me.”).

About The Webby Awards

Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by the New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet, including websites, interactive advertising & media, online film & video, and mobile & apps. Established in 1996, the 16th Annual Webby Awards received nearly 10,000 entries from all 50 states and over 60 countries worldwide. The Webby Awards is presented by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include: AOL, Aquent, Yahoo!, Microsoft, Ford, Dentyne, Facebook, MLB Advanced Media, Rackspace Hosting, LBi, Buddy Media, YouTube, HP, USA Today, Business Insider, 2advanced.Net, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Time Out New York and Guardian News and Media.

About Mobiata

Mobiata, an Expedia company, creates best-selling mobile travel applications for smartphones and emerging devices under both brands. Since its founding in December 2008, Mobiata’s applications have been featured by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Washington Post, TechCrunch, USA Today and in Apple TV and print ads. Mobiata’s apps include the best-selling FlightTrack, FlightTrack Pro, FlightBoard, TripDeck and Expedia Hotels applications. Mobiata is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Mobiata was acquired by Expedia, Inc. in 2010 and works with the brand to develop unique, customer-centric applications for worldwide travel. For more information, visit the website at
http://www.mobiata.com . Follow us on Twitter: @mobiata.

Contact:

Jennifer Fugel845-657-4202Jennifer@mobiata.com

This press release was issued through eReleases(R). For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at
http://www.ereleases.com .

SOURCE Mobiata

Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

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While there is no way to know where and when to be ready for a travel disaster, these eight apps can solve the problem of how. These apps will prepare you for the worst case scenarios and could end up saving your life when youre in uncharted territory.

Pocket First Aid CPR

This app from the American Heart Association is a literal lifesaver. When Dan Woolley of Colorado Springs was caught in the collapse of the Hotel Montana in Port-au-Prince after the Haiti earthquake, he used the app to diagnose and treat injuries to his foot and head.

I kind of had some time to do some self-diagnosis down there, Woolley told NBC. God was with me.

Price: $1.99

mPassport

Even at your sickest, most embarrassing tourist moments theres an app that will come to your rescue. The mPassport will find the local brand equivalent of any medicine that you need, so you can wash down that weird Cambodian cart food with some weird Cambodian Pepto. The app will also translate medical terms and phrases, help you find a doctor, schedule a medical appointment, and locate a nearby dentist, hospital, or pharmacy.

Price: $0.99

SaferBus

If youre planning on taking a bus, you should download the Department of Transportations SaferBus app. The app will let you look up safety ratings and records for hundreds of bus companies.

Price: Free

Smart Traveler

When youre traveling, sometimes you can lose track of what is going on in the rest of the world. But that information can be crucial to your safety. This app will keep you in the loop about travel alerts and warnings no matter where you are. It also has a Know Before You Go section that will show you where the nearest US embassy is located, local laws to be aware of and list the the entry/exit requirements for every country.

Price: Free

ICE 4 Travel

This app is a virtual encyclopedia of information that could be vital to your survival in a travel emergency. ICE 4 Travel stores information on your immunizations, allergies, medications, emergency contacts and translates it all into seven different languages.

Price: Free

Help Call

When youre in the United States, you know to call 911 in an emergency. But what if youre abroad? Who do you call and how do you communicate with them if you dont speak the language? The Help Call app will automatically detect your location and you can press one easy button to be connected to local fire, police or an ambulance crews.

Price: $2.99

UV Detector

This app may not save your life in the moment, but it could save you in the long term., especially if you are traveling in sunny climates.This app detects the UVI rating of your current location and sets a countdown timer to alert you should reapply sunblock. All you have to do is input your skin type and the SPF of your sunscreen.

Price: Free

Nationwide Insurance Accident Relief

Nationwide Insurance has now introduced a free app that helps people after theyve had a car accident and arent thinking clearly or cant help themselves.The app will help you contact emergency services and prompt you to exchange information with anyone else involved in the accident as well as take phones of the scene. Dont worry if you arent a Nationwide customer, you dont need to have Nationwide Insurance to use the app.

Price: Free

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PROVIDENCE, RI — The House Chamber and State House corridors filled up Monday with 150 students from Providence schools who came to pitch ideas for making their city a better place to live.

The ideas included tackling environmental safety, gang violence, prostitution, NECAP testing and teenage obesity.

The presentations were part of school partnerships with Generation Citizen, a program founded in 2008 by Scott Warren, then a Brown University senior. Education Commissioner Deborah Gist, Mayor Angel Taveras, Rep. David N. Cicilline and Warren attended the event.

Taveras told the students to take advantage of their education, and to stay engaged and become leaders.

The sky is the limit., he said. Take advantage of it. Its important to never forget where you came from.

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CORPUS CHRISTI –
A group of 12 middle school students Monday were quick to judge an image depicting a young woman with pink hair.

Class clown! several students shouted.

The group, which included students from Browne and Grant middle schools, considered various images of people and matched each with titles such as class clown, dropout, gang member or student body president.

Were probably getting all these wrong, Grant Middle School sixth-grader Bailey Westerkom said.

Some of the actual answers surprised students, who learned labeling people can lead to behaviors such as bullying or depression.

You cant judge a book by its cover, can you? asked Albert Martinez, a school district official who facilitated the groups session.

Bailey was one of about 225 middle school and high school students from Corpus Christi Independent School District who participated in the districts anti-bullying summit Monday.

Discussions about bullying are trickling down to young people as the media has highlighted national stories, and movies depicting teenage bullying have hit theaters.

After 16-year-old Ted Teddy Molina, a former Flour Bluff Independent School District student, committed suicide April 1, local districts such as CCISD, Robstown and London have publicly addressed the behavior. Teds family has attributed his death to bullying.

Mondays summit included a skit performed by Baker Middle School students, a presentation on an ongoing CCISD video project and breakout sessions aimed at helping campuses address bullying.

Students told district officials that in-school suspension wasnt a deterrent to bad behavior.

Other suggestions included classes dedicated to discussing bullying, smaller-scale summits, student groups charged with monitoring bullying and regular elementary school visits by high school students to build better relationships with young students.

Carroll junior Jeffrey Thomas, 17, said the summit wasnt just to empower student leaders on certain campuses.

Its for everyone in our district — how can we make it better, he said.

Superintendent Scott Elliff said officials plan to review student suggestions during the summer and consider any changes to policies or programs. Some students said officials need to be more vigilant in hallways and stairwells as well as more aware of how to address reports of bullying.

Elliff said student-generated ideas are more likely to be implemented by students.

We think that has the potential to be powerful, he said.

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