Traveling pooches in the great outdoors pictured on next AAA PetBook edition

ORLANDO, Fla. (Feb. 15, 2013) – Two dogs from California took top honors in the latest annual AAA PetBook^® Photo Contest sponsored by Best Western, a AAA Preferred Hotel Partner. The furry champions are featured on the 15^th edition Traveling With Your Pet: The AAA PetBook^®, coming this May.

Along with cover fame, winners receive additional contest prizes, including cash, pet treats, copies of the book and a Best Western Travel Card^® usable at more than 4,000 hotels worldwide, including more than 1,600 pet-friendly properties. The winners, along with 43 finalists, also enjoy a year of star treatment on the AAA.com/PetBook photo gallery.

Jack Ryan, a Pembroke Welsh corgi, this year’s first-place winner, is pictured on the book’s back cover at Shaver Lake, Calif., a favorite camping spot for his family. “We take our dogs on all our camping trips and they thoroughly enjoy every minute of it,” said owner Susan Robinson. “They enjoy all the sights, smells and the sheer joy of the beautiful surroundings that camping has to offer. I could not bear to leave them at home.”

The second-place winner, Mandie, a Labrador retriever, graces the book’s spine romping in the snow at Mammoth Lakes, Calif. “We love to explore outdoor places with Mandie,” said owners Gisenyi and Jeremy Wansor. “She brings us joy with her enthusiasm and spontaneity. She is so much fun to have around!”

Separate from this year’s winners, an exceptional photo from a previous contest will appear on the front cover of the 15^th edition AAA PetBook. Cody Bear, a golden retriever from Pennsylvania, is pictured state relaxing at his home state’s Seven Springs Resort, where he and his canine sister Ginger  can run to their hearts’ content. “Cody Bear is a part of our family, and we wouldn’t dream of leaving him home,” said owner Kathy Havey.

Many Americans consider their pets as full-fledged family members when planning vacations. They long to hit the road with their canine or feline companions, but hesitate for fear of not finding accommodations that welcome four-legged guests. Traveling with Your Pet: The AAA PetBook provides listings for more than 14,000 pet-friendly accommodations in the U.S. and Canada. These include thousands of AAA Approved and Diamond Rated hotels as well as 750 campgrounds.

The detailed hotel listings include fees, permitted pet sizes and conditions of stay for properties at every Diamond Rating level, from clean and simple motels to family-oriented properties to luxurious resorts. The book also includes information about pet-friendly activities, planning tips, travel etiquette and safety.

Photos of winners and finalists, contest rules, entry forms and valuable pet travel tips can be accessed at AAA.com/PetBook. The next photo contest opens in May when the 15^th edition Traveling With Your Pet: The AAA PetBook, cover price $18.95 U.S., hits the shelves at participating AAA and CAA offices and bookstores, and the digital edition, cover price $9.95, is available through online booksellers.

About AAA

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 53 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.

ABOUT BEST WESTERN INTERNATIONAL, INC.

Best Western International, Inc., headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz., is a privately held hotel brand made up of more than 4,000* BEST WESTERN®, BEST WESTERN PLUS, BEST WESTERN PREMIER  hotels in more than 100* countries and territories worldwide. Now celebrating 67 years of hospitality, Best Western welcomes hundreds of thousands of guests nightly. Best Western provides its hoteliers with global operational, sales, marketing and promotional support, and online and mobile booking capabilities. More than 15 million travelers are members of the brand’s award-winning loyalty program Best Western Rewards®, one of the few programs in which members earn points that never expire and can be redeemed at any Best Western hotel worldwide. The brand’s partnerships with AAA/CAA, race car driver Michael Waltrip, and Harley-Davidson® provide travelers with exciting ways to interact with the brand. In 2012, Best Western won a record number of awards, including AAA’s Hotel Partner of the Year, CAA’s Partner of the Year, TravelClick’s eMarketer of the Year and Compuware’s Best of the Web Gold awards.
*Numbers are approximate and can fluctuate.

ORLANDO, Fla., (Sept. 6, 2012) – With so many digital cameras readily at hand, it’s a snap to capture pets enjoying vacation activities in breathtaking settings. Travelers who enter their best shot in AAA’s annual photo contest have an opportunity to see their pet featured on a cover of The AAA PetBook and the AAA.com/PetBook photo gallery.

For the fifth consecutive year, the AAA PetBook^® Photo Contest is sponsored by Best Western, which has more than 1,600 pet-friendly hotels worldwide. The contest is open through Nov. 30, 2012. Entries are judged on artistic qualities and ability to convey the joys of safely traveling with a pet. Candid photographs are preferred. Contest rules, entry forms and photos from the previous contest are available on the AAA.com/PetBook website.

Winners appear on the next edition of Traveling With Your Pet: The AAA PetBook^®, released each May. First- and second-place photos appear on the back cover and spine of the softcover book and opening pages of the digital versions. More than 40 irresistible finalists are pictured in a photo insert, and winners and finalists are also showcased on the AAA.com/PetBook photo gallery — a virtual brag book for proud pet parents. Additional prizes include cash, pet treats, copies of the book and, for the first-place winner, a $150 Best Western Travel Card usable worldwide.

Traveling with Your Pet: The AAA PetBook^® provides reliable, up-to-date information on more than 14,000 places to stay and play with pets. Listings include pet-friendly AAA Approved and Diamond Rated lodgings across the U.S. and Canada. Details include fees, permitted pet sizes, conditions of stay and pet amenities for properties at every AAA Diamond Rating level including — for pampered pets — AAA Five Diamond hotels.

For outdoor lovers, the book also lists more than 600 pet-friendly campgrounds and RV parks, AAA Approved attractions that offer kennel service or allow pets, and national public lands and dog parks open to visiting pets. Readers will also find useful tips on preparing four-legged travelers for the road or air, pet etiquette, insurance and emergency animal clinic locations.

The softcover edition of Traveling with Your Pet: The AAA PetBook is available at many AAA and CAA offices and select bookstores with a cover price of $18.95. Digital editions for popular tablets and ereaders are available through online booksellers at a suggested digital price of $9.99.

About AAA

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 53 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.

ABOUT BEST WESTERN INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Best Western International, Inc., headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz., is a privately held hotel brand made up of more than 4,000* BEST WESTERN®, BEST WESTERN PLUS® and BEST WESTERN PREMIER®  hotels in more than 100* countries and territories worldwide. Now celebrating 66 years of hospitality, Best Western welcomes hundreds of thousands of guests nightly. Best Western provides its hoteliers with global operational, sales, marketing and promotional support, and online and mobile booking capabilities. More than 15 million travelers are members of the brand’s award-winning loyalty program Best Western Rewards®, one of the few programs in which members earn points that never expire and can be redeemed at any Best Western hotel worldwide. The brand’s partnerships with AAA/CAA, racecar driver Michael Waltrip, and Harley-Davidson® provide travelers with exciting ways to interact with the brand. Best Western in 2011 was named AAA’s and CAA’s Hotel Partner of the Year and bestwestern.com was named the 2011 Compuware Best of the Web Gold award winner.

Release of new AAA PetBook edition means thousands of updated listings and the start of the next AAA PetBook Photo Contest

ORLANDO,Fla., (May 24, 2012) – Does your ideal vacation include your furry family members? For many Americans, Fido and Fluffy are essential participants in family outings. But they can pose some challenges when it comes to travel arrangements. Concerns range from locating pet-friendly establishments to finding reliable trip planning information and advice.

For these travelers, the newly released edition of Traveling with Your Pet: The AAA PetBook^® — available in print and digital versions — offers a solution they can trust. The annually updated guidebook contains detailed information for finding and selecting the right place to stay. Plus, the guide is packed with a wealth of additional resources for planning pet-friendly vacations.

“A great vacation with pets requires careful planning,” said Bill Wood, executive editor, AAA Travel Publishing. “The last thing travelers want to find on arrival is their pet exceeds the hotel’s size limit or requires extra fees. AAA collects these details to help prevent unwelcome surprises. We’re pleased to provide traveling pet owners with handy tips and insight along with reliable travel information.”

Whether travelers want affordable, comfortable hotels near favorite recreation spots, or luxurious accommodations that extend the royal treatment to two- and four-footed guests, they’ll find it in Traveling with Your Pet: The AAA PetBook. The book includes pet-friendly AAA Approved and Diamond Rated lodgings throughout the U.S. and Canada. Listings include fees, permitted pet sizes, conditions of stay and pet amenities for properties across every Diamond Rating level.

For outdoor enthusiasts, the book lists more than 600 pet-friendly campgrounds plus dog parks and attractions and national public lands that allow pets. Readers will also find useful tips for preparing four-legged travelers for the road or air and handy information about pet etiquette, insurance and emergency animal clinics.

“We know pets are very much a part of our guests’ families. As such, we want to welcome pets and their owners to our more than 1,600 pet-friendly properties,” said Dorothy Dowling, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Best Western. “We are proud to be listed in The AAA PetBook, an exceptional resource, and to sponsor the annual AAA PetBook Photo Contest to help showcase pet travelers in action.”

From its outside covers to a special 16-page insert, the guide features scenic, smile-provoking photos of pets enjoying safe travel — a reminder to snap a candid of your winner during this year’s vacation. The current AAA PetBook Photo Contest sponsored by Best Western is open for entries, now through Nov. 30, 2012. Each year, winners are selected to appear on the back cover and spine of the next edition and also receive cash, pet treats, copies of the book and a Best Western Travel Card usable worldwide. See inside The AAA PetBook for details, or access official contest rules, an entry form and the contest photo gallery at AAA.com/PetBook.

Traveling with Your Pet: The AAA PetBook, 14^th edition, is available at many AAA and CAA offices as well as select bookstores and online booksellers. The suggested retail price is $18.95. The digital edition, available at online booksellers, carries a suggested digital retail price of $9.99.

About AAA

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 53 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.

About Best Western International, Inc.

Best Western International, Inc., headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz., is a privately held hotel brand made up of more than 4,100* BEST WESTERN®, BEST WESTERN PLUS® and BEST WESTERN PREMIER® hotels in more than 100* countries and territories worldwide. Now celebrating 66 years of hospitality, Best Western welcomes hundreds of thousands of guests nightly. Best Western provides its hoteliers with global operational, sales, marketing and promotional support, and online and mobile booking capabilities. More than 13 million travelers are members of the brand’s award-winning loyalty program Best Western Rewards®, one of the few programs in which members earn points that never expire and can redeem at any Best Western hotel worldwide. The brand’s partnerships with AAA/CAA, racecar driver Michael Waltrip, and Harley-Davidson® provide travelers with exciting ways to interact with the brand. Best Western in 2011 was named AAA’s and CAA’s Hotel Partner of the Year and bestwestern.com was named the 2011 Compuware Best of the Web Gold award winner.

*Numbers are approximate and can fluctuate.

California dogs vacationing in national parks to grace back cover and spine of next edition

ORLANDO, Fla. (Feb. 22, 2012) – Two pooches from California were selected as top dogs in the latest annual AAA PetBook^® Photo Contest sponsored by Best Western, a AAA Preferred Hotel Partner. The four-legged winners will enjoy a year of fame on the 14^th edition Traveling With Your Pet: The AAA PetBook^®, available this May.

Along with cover glory, winners also enjoy a year of star treatment on the AAA.com/PetBook photo gallery. Plus they receive additional contest prizes, including cash, pet treats, copies of the book and a Best Western Travel Card^® usable at more than 4,000 hotels worldwide, including more than 1,600 pet-friendly properties.

The first-place winner, a Tibetan terrier named Lady, GCH Starlight’s Lady in Waiting, from Torrance, Calif., will be pictured on the book’s back cover on a scenic overlook at beautiful Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. As a show dog Lady is used to being the center of attention, but she doesn’t always have the luxury of being able to see the sights. “When we extended our trip last year to go to Crater Lake, Lady has a blast!” said owner Cassandra Basgall. “Our dogs are our family. It’s hard to leave home without them.”

The second-place winner, Maggie, an American Eskimo/Pomeranian mix from Placentia, Calif., will be featured on the book’s spine in a photo taken during a trek through Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. “Our dogs are our kids. We try to take them whenever we can,” said owner Wendy Gillroy. “Maggie doesn’t even mind the long drive as long as we’re going to be outdoors.”

This year, as a special addition to first- and second-place contest winners, an exceptional photo held over from a previous contest will appear on the front cover of the 14^th edition AAA PetBook. Chase, a Shetland sheepdog from Aloha, Ore., will be shown enjoying the open space at Oregon’s Cannon Beach. ”When Chase isn’t on the beach trying to ‘herd’ the waves, he is in town charming other tourists and trolling for head scratches,” says Chase’s owner, Curtis H. Smith.

Many Americans view their pets as full-fledged family members. They long to hit the road with their canine or feline companions, but hesitate for fear of not finding accommodations that accept four-legged friends. Traveling with Your Pet: The AAA PetBook^® provides listings for more than 14,000 pet-friendly AAA Approved accommodations in the U.S. and Canada. These include thousands of Diamond Rated hotels as well as some 600 campgrounds.

The detailed lodging listings include fees, permitted pet sizes and conditions of stay for properties at every Diamond Rating level including — for pampered pets — AAA Five Diamond Award^® hotels. The book also includes information about pet-friendly activities, planning tips, travel safety.

Photos of winners and runners up, contest rules, entry forms and valuable pet travel tips can be accessed at AAA.com/PetBook. The next photo contest opens in May when copies of the 14^th edition Traveling With Your Pet: The AAA PetBook hit the shelves at participating AAA and CAA offices, bn.com and fine bookstores. The cover price is $18.95 U.S.

About AAA

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 53 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.

ABOUT BEST WESTERN INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Best Western International, Inc. is THE WORLD’S BIGGEST HOTEL FAMILY®, providing marketing, reservations and operational support to over 4,000* BEST WESTERN®, BEST WESTERN PLUS® and BEST WESTERN PREMIER® hotels in more than 100* countries and territories worldwide. Each Best Western-branded hotel is independently owned and operated. Now celebrating 66 years of hospitality, Best Western has grown into an iconic brand that hosts hundreds of thousands of guests each night. Equally committed to the business and leisure traveler, Best Western has embarked on a mission to lead the hotel industry in customer care. World Vision is the charity of choice for Best Western in building the world’s biggest family, with our hotels and staff sponsoring children in need around the globe. Our partnerships with AAA/CAA, racecar driver Michael Waltrip, and Harley-Davidson® help guests make the most of every trip. For the fastest way to a free night globally, join Best Western Rewards®.

*Numbers are approximate and can fluctuate.