The Family That Wins Together, Travels Together -- Comfort Inn & ESSENCE Magazine Invite Families to Enter for Chance to Win the 'Family Affair' Reunion Vacation for 10 to the 16th Annual ESSENCE Music Festival(R)

SILVER SPRING, Md., March 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Calling all ESSENCE Music Festival® fans, it's that time again for you and your family to experience the largest music festival of the year. Comfort Inn and ESSENCE Magazine, for the second year in a row, are giving one winner a chance to win a free getaway for them and nine of their family members to the 16th annual ESSENCE Music Festival® for the Family Affair reunion vacation.

Starting now through May 12, 2010, consumers can go online to www.comfortinnfamilyaffair.com/essence and simply enter their information for a chance to win. To register, users need only have or sign up for a Choice Privileges membership—the free, frequent stay rewards program from Choice Hotels International, franchisor of the Comfort Inn hotel brand.

One lucky grand prize winner will receive up to ten concert tickets per night to the ESSENCE Music Festival® in New Orleans, a $2,000 cash prize, and three-nights accommodations at a local Comfort Inn or other Choice hotel. This year's ESSENCE Music Festival® will take place July 2 – 4, 2010 and will feature award-winning singers and high profile R&B recording artists. Last year's ESSENCE Music Festival® drew over 400,000 fans and this year, ESSENCE and Comfort Inn want to make you and your loved ones part of the celebration.

For more information, or to enter the "A Family Affair" sweepstakes, visit www.comfortinnfamilyaffair.com/essence.

About ESSENCE Communications Inc.:

Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) is the number one media and communications company dedicated to African-American women.  With a multi-platform presence in publishing, live events, and online, the Essence brand is "Where Black Women Come First".  The company's flagship publication, ESSENCE magazine, is the preeminent lifestyle magazine for African-American women; generating brand extensions such as the Essence Music Festival®, ESSENCE Black Women in  Hollywood, Window on Our Women (WOW I & II) and Smart Beauty I, II & III consumer insights, the Essence Book Club, Essence.com, and ventures in digital media (mobile, television and VOD). For 40 years, ESSENCE, which has an audience reach of more than 8 million, has been the leading source of cutting-edge information relating to every area of African-American women's lives. Additional information about ECI and ESSENCE is available at essence.com.

About Choice Hotels

Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) franchises more than 6,000 hotels, representing more than 485,000 rooms, in the United States and more than 35 other countries and territories. As of December 31, 2009, more than 700 hotels are under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in the United States, representing more than 57,000 rooms, and more than 100 hotels, representing approximately 9,400 rooms, are under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in more than 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.

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.

© 2010 Choice Hotels International, Inc. All rights reserved.

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.  A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.  LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES (D.C.) 21 AND OLDER.  VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Sweepstakes begins 3/12/10 at 12:00 a.m. ET and ends 5/12/10 at 11:59 p.m. ET. For Official Rules, prize descriptions and odds disclosure, visit http://Comfortinnfamilyaffair.com/essence.  Sponsor: Choice Hotels International Services Corp, 10750 Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20901.

SOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc.