Credit: Tahiti Tourisme

From the e-mail bag: United Airlines is holding a “Time Off in Tahiti” contest to recognize “the hardest working person in the U.S. with the trip of their dreams.” And that trip will be to Tahiti.

Apparently, the contest is inspired by data released by Project: Time Off, which finds that American workers are more likely to “lose” their vacation days that to use them. (That’s not good, people.)

According to Project: Time Off, 700-plus million vacation days go unused annually in the United States, with 52 percent of employees reporting unused vacation time at year’s end.  All told, nearly one-quarter of American workers say they used none of their time off to travel – and that’s a whole lot of happiness waiting in the wings.

So United’s “Time Off in Tahiti” contest probably is helping to fix that problem, at least for one lucky individual. The selected winner will be flown from San Francisco direct to Papeete, Tahiti (PPT), along United’s new route beginning October 30, 2018, to bask in the island’s timeless beauty.

However, he or she has to get someone’s nomination. In 300 words or less, a colleague, good friend or even maybe relative can put in a good word for any hard working, deserving person known personally or admired from afar at united.com/timeofftahiti.

Submissions are due by September 25, 2018; the winner will be notified on or around October 11, 2018. Project: Time Off will aid in the judging of submissions.