Winning a free trip seems like the stuff of fantasies. After all, who wouldn't want a free holiday, right? But, before you start entering any vacation giveaway you see, determine if the prize is right for you. Make sure you consider these common deal breakers:
While the prize is free, the trip maybe not
Even if you win a free trip, you will always have to pay for something. And if the airfare, hotel, and entertainment are paid, you will be responsible for other expenses. The following are some typical expenses associated with trip prizes: transfers to and from the airport and hotel, meals not included in the itinerary, rental car, travel insurance, souvenirs, sightseeing expenses, passport & visa fees (if you win a trip abroad), taxes, etc.
Before you enter to win a holiday, make sure you read the sweepstakes rules to see what's included. Many vacation prizes pay any or all of these costs, while others reward you with cash to cover them. Then, before sending the entry form, consider whether you are ready to pay for any expenses that are not covered.
You won’t have enough time to plan your trip
Between the time you're notified of the win and the time you have to go for your holiday, some trip sweepstakes just give you a few days. If that's the case, would you be ready to travel on such a short notice?
Read the rules and figure out how much time you'll have if you win. When you have limited time to plan, make sure you have a visa and can take time off work easily. If not, you may want to skip the sweepstakes.
You were banking on taking cash instead of a trip
Many people say that if they win a holiday prize, they would rather take the money than actually travel. This is good if the reward includes a cash option, but travel sweepstakes may not include a cash option. Read the rules and don't assume you'll be able to persuade the sponsor to give you a cash option if one isn't explicitly offered.
You're planning on giving away your trip
Some people believe that if they win a vacation they don't want to take, they can donate it to a friend or family member. This is, though, an unusual occurrence.
Most trip sweepstakes clearly state that the winner must be one of the travelers and that the winner and all guests must travel together. However, there are some exceptions: a gift card to a travel site or airline, for example, can be used by people other than the winner. However, read the rules carefully to ensure that the trip can be passed if you do not want to travel.
Your guests might not get all the goodies
Travel sweepstakes can have additional prizes such as shopping sprees, photoshoots, spending cash, and tickets to special events or attractions. Your guest or visitors can be asked to join you on all of the bonus experiences, but certain parts of the reward are sometimes only awarded to the winner.
