How I Choose Which Travel Giveaways to Enter
When people hear that I enjoy entering travel giveaways, one of the first questions they ask is, "How do you decide which ones to enter?" It's a fair question, and the answer has actually changed over the years. Like many people, I used to be very selective. If a giveaway involved a tropical beach, warm weather, snorkeling, surfing, or simply relaxing by the ocean, it immediately grabbed my attention. I figured that if I happened to win a vacation, it might as well be somewhere I already knew I'd love.
Looking back, however, I think I was doing myself a bit of a disservice.
I Learned To Keep An Open Mind
Some of the most enjoyable trips I've ever taken were destinations I probably wouldn't have chosen on my own. A mountain getaway, a cruise, or a quiet lakeside vacation didn't initially sound as exciting to me as spending time at the beach. Yet several of those trips turned out to be among my favorite travel experiences.
That realization changed the way I think about travel. Part of the excitement of exploring the world is experiencing places that surprise you. If I only focus on one type of destination, I may never discover another place that I end up loving just as much. While the coast will probably always be my favorite, I've learned to appreciate mountains, forests, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, and countless other landscapes that I once overlooked.
Today, I enter just about every type of travel giveaway I come across. You never know which destination will become your next favorite adventure until you actually experience it.
Another factor I consider is how heavily a giveaway appears to be promoted.
Of course, there's no way to know exactly how many people have entered a particular contest, but some giveaways seem to be advertised everywhere. You see them on social media, in advertisements, and across multiple websites. Others quietly appear on a company's website, newsletter, or Facebook page without attracting nearly as much attention.
Whenever I come across one of those less-publicized giveaways, I'm often a little more interested. It doesn't guarantee better odds, but it does make me wonder whether fewer people have discovered it. If that's the case, it may be worth spending a minute to submit an entry.
That doesn't mean I ignore the larger promotions.
If there's a chance to win a dream vacation, I'll happily throw my name in the hat along with everyone else. After all, somebody eventually wins those trips, and it certainly won't be me if I never enter.
I simply try to create as many legitimate opportunities as I reasonably can without letting it consume my time. Entering travel giveaways should be enjoyable, not something that feels like a full-time job.
One of the biggest lessons travel has taught me is that our assumptions aren't always correct.
Before visiting a destination, it's easy to think we already know what we'll enjoy. But some of life's best memories come from experiences we never expected. If I had continued entering only beach vacations, I would have missed out on several incredible trips that broadened my perspective and gave me memories I'll always cherish.
That's why I encourage people to keep an open mind. Enter the beach vacation. Enter the mountain retreat. Enter the cruise. Enter the city getaway. Give yourself permission to experience places that aren't necessarily at the top of your wish list today, because they just might become your favorite destination tomorrow.
These days, I don't overthink it.
I enter travel giveaways for destinations that genuinely interest me, but I no longer limit myself to one type of vacation. I pay attention to promotions that don't seem to receive as much publicity, while still entering the larger giveaways that offer amazing prizes. Most importantly, I remind myself that travel is about discovery.
Some of the greatest adventures begin with saying yes to something you never expected.