IHG® Rewards Club reveals Canada's Top 150 Travel Hidden Gems in time for Canada's 150th Birthday

Canadians entered more than 4,000 submissions in a nation-wide contest to curate a list of Canada's top 150 Hidden Gems

TORONTO, June 29, 2017 /CNW/ - In honour of Canada's 150^th birthday, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), in partnership with television personality Jennifer Valentyne, has revealed a list of the top 150 Hidden Gems in Canada. This reveal comes after a three-month contest that asked Canadians to share their favourite travel spots from coast-to-coast for a chance to win one million IHG^® Rewards Club Points.

Canada's 150^th birthday is the perfect reason to plan the trip of a lifetime locally, and Canadians have made it possible with over 4,000 Hidden Gem submissions generated through the IHG^® Rewards Club 150th Hidden Gems contest. From picturesque hiking trails and secret spots for family picnics to cultural landmarks and other undiscovered local attractions, here are some of the must-see entries that made the final list:

• Altona Sunsets, Manitoba
• Bonnechere Caves, ON
• Chelton Beach, PEI
• Emerald Lake, Yukon
• Ferryland Lighthouse, Newfoundland
• Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia
• Maligne Canyon, Alberta
• Cherry Hill Gate, Ontario
• Peak of 'La Roche', Quebec
• Quidi Vidi, Newfoundland
• Grassi Lakes, Alberta
• Spotted Lake, British Columbia
• The Red Boat, Nunavut
• University Bridge, Saskatchewan
• Nahanni National Park, Northwest Territories

Jonathan Lund, Regional Vice President, Franchise Performance Support, IHG, Canada, said: "We're celebrating our nation and all the breathtaking places it has to offer. These Canadian Hidden Gems are proof that you don't need to travel beyond our own borders to have the trip of a lifetime. We hope that our curated list of must-see destinations across the country will inspire your next adventure."

Jennifer Valentyne, Canadian television personality, said: "As a passionate traveler myself, I am thrilled to see all the unique locations Canadians have shared throughout the contest! Thanks to your help, I look forward to travelling locally this summer and discovering some of these places with my family and friends."

The lucky grand prize winner, from Sudbury, Ontario, submitted the winning hidden gem of Bridal Veil Falls on Manitoulin Island. These falls were special, as the winner and his wife first visited when dating 30 years ago and have continued to make multiple trips every year with friends and children.

With his prize of one million IHG^® Rewards Club points, the winner can redeem for merchandise and travel such as a roundtrip for a family of four including flights and hotels. Throughout the contest, two additional winners were selected and given 50,000 IHG^® Rewards club points.

With 177 hotels across the country and 31 hotels in the pipeline, IHG's hotels in Canada are a home away from home for travelers. With leisure-favourite hotel brands such as Holiday Inn^® Hotels & Suites and iconic luxury brands like InterContinental^® Hotels and Resorts - IHG's brand family in Canada has more than 24,900 rooms across seven brands.

Call to action:
To view the full list of IHG's top 150 Hidden Gems, visit www.ihgrewardsclub.com/150Canada. Which hidden gem are you going to explore next? Join the conversation on social media using #IHG150. 

About IHG^® Rewards Club
With more than 100 million enrolled members globally, IHG^® Rewards Club is the first and largest guest loyalty program in the hotel industry. Named Best Hotel Rewards Program in the World ten years running as voted by the readers of Global Traveler magazine, IHG^® Rewards Club offers sought-after benefits and is easy to use. Members qualify for Your Rate by IHG^® Rewards Club, an exclusive rate offered when they book direct. In addition to flexible features like No Blackout Dates for Reward Nights, Points & Cash and Free Internet, IHG^® Rewards Club members have hundreds of options for redeeming points including: Reward Nights, Flights Anywhere^TM, Cars Anywhere, digital downloads, brand name items and retail gift cards. Enrollment in IHG^® Rewards Club is free. Guests can sign up by visiting ihg.com/rewardsclub, calling 1-888-211-9874, downloading the IHG App or by inquiring at the front desk of any of the nearly 5,200 IHG hotels worldwide.

Notes to Editors:
IHG^® (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of hotel brands, including InterContinental^® Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton^® Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo^®, EVEN^® Hotels, HUALUXE^® Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza^® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn^®, Holiday Inn Express^®, Holiday Inn Club Vacations^®, Holiday Inn Resort^®, Staybridge Suites^® and Candlewood Suites^®.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns nearly 5,200 hotels and 770,000 guest rooms in almost 100 countries, with nearly 1,500 hotels in its development pipeline. IHG also manages IHG^® Rewards Club, our global loyalty programme, which has more than 100 million enrolled members.  

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales. More than 350,000 people work across IHG's hotels and corporate offices globally.

Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on IHG Rewards Club. For our latest news, visit: www.ihgplc.com/media and follow us on social media at: www.twitter.com/ihg, www.facebook.com/ihg and www.youtube.com/ihgplc.

SOURCE IHG Rewards Club