Best Western is taking nearly the entire year to celebrate its 60th anniversary. The official celebration started in late March with a week-long industry appreciation event. During that week, corporate executives, members of the chain's sales team, as well as management and staff from more than 1,000 Best Western properties, fanned out across five continents to thank travel agents and other key customers for their business.

The goal of the event, called the World's Largest Thank You, was to make 12,500 sales calls in one week. The company says its travel partners accounted for more than $200 million in sales last year.

In addition, on March 29 guests staying at Best Westerns in North America found anniversary cards under their pillows, along with a coupon for a one-night's stay for $5.40, or what it cost for a room in 1946, the year the organization was founded.