Hilton Invites the World to Celebrate Earth Hour through #TravelwithPurposeContest

today announced the launch of a global social media contest celebrating Earth Hour (8:30p.m.-9:30p.m. on March 25) – the worldwide movement for the planet organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Building on the core theme of Earth Hour – turning off the lights for an hour to save energy – contestants are invited to submit a photo and caption showing how they celebrated the event. The grand prize includes travel and accommodation, including a five-night stay at the spectacular Canopy by Hilton Reykjavik City Centre in Iceland. The winner will enjoy the destination’s proximity to the Arctic Circle, as well as its vivid landscapes and natural wonders such as the Northern Lights and 24-hour daylight during the summer.

The #TravelwithPurposeContest is now open and closes on April 1. A winner will be announced on Earth Day, April 22*.

“We’re incredibly proud that the Earth Hour movement was conceived at the Hilton Sydney nearly 10 years ago,” said Maxime Verstraete, vice president of corporate responsibility, Hilton. “Almost every year since, our Team Members have combined their passion for hospitality with fun, local activities supporting the movement. This year we’re looking beyond our more than 4,900 properties, and inviting the world to be part of another exceptional Hilton experience. We hope our Travel with Purpose Contest will inspire others to learn more about climate change and energy conservation.”

Thousands of Hilton properties around the world have participated in Earth Hour activities by finding creative ways to raise awareness about energy conservation and climate change – from arranging candle-lit dinners to hosting acoustic music performances for guests.

In 2015, Hilton and WWF announced a multi-year commitment to collaborate on a water-stewardship strategy, expand sustainable seafood efforts, advance food waste efforts and accelerate the adoption of renewable energy across Hilton’s portfolio.

Hilton views sustainability as a key part of its business. Water, energy, food, commodities, waste requirements and other factors significantly impact the economics of the company’s business every day around the world. For this reason, preserving the environment is a business imperative and a cornerstone of Travel with Purpose, the company’s corporate responsibility strategy to create shared value for Hilton Team Members, guests, business partners and communities.

Hilton’s commitment to the environment is embedded across the business and supported by LightStay: an award-winning, global corporate responsibility performance measurement platform. LightStay was developed and implemented by Hilton to provide a one-stop solution for reporting environmental, operational and social impacts. It underpins multiple certifications including a system-wide certification against the International Standardization Organization (ISO) 50001 standard for Energy Management. Hilton was also the first hospitality company to certify commercial buildings under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Superior Energy Performance program. Ranked as a Newsweek Top Green Company in the U.S.