I enter various travel sweepstakes all the time, but I never actually win anything. So when I received this email ten days ago, I presumed it was spam:
Thank you for participating in the Top Attraction Contest for the RADISSON ROYAL HOTEL by voting for your favourite attraction. I am happy to let you know that you have voted for the winning attraction – At The Top Burj Khalifa Experience – and are the winner of a 150 EUR Rezidor Gift Card. The Rezidor Gift Card can be used in over 250 hotels in 34 countries to pay towards accommodation, dining, spa treatments and much more, at Radisson Blu, Park Inn by Radisson or Missoni hotels. The Rezidor Gift Card is valid for 2 years and has no cash equivalent.
The email was not spam! This was a legitimate contest that I had entered and promptly forgotten about. Each month, Radisson features about ten of its top properties and contest entrants must select their favorite nearby attraction. So if you have accumulated a boatload of Club Carlson points, it’s a great way to familiarize yourself with some of the redemption options.
There are several factors that contributed to my success, and which may work for you, too:
- Choose an obscure contest
- Enter early and often
- Avoid social media
The Radisson Top Attraction Contest certainly fits the bill. It isn’t the most lucrative contest, but 150 Euros toward a hotel stay isn’t bad, if you have a trip coming up.
First, this contest is hardly mentioned on the internet, other than on Radisson’s own webpage.
Second, you can enter the contest every month, and each month there are multiple chances to enter. (You can vote one time for each featured hotel).
Third, there is no requirement to “friend” Radisson on Facebook — I hate those contests!
Also, it helps that you do not have to enter a boatload of information — just your email address, and the reason you are choosing a particular attraction.
Maybe you should give this one a shot. Here’s the blurb:
What would you see if you had only one day and needed to choose? We’re searching for the best sights of the world! You can win a Rezidor Gift Card at the value of EUR 150 if you help us find the top attraction.
This month’s contest runs from August 23 to September 23, 2013. In four weeks, there will be a chance to enter for a new group of hotels.
You can enter the contest with Radisson Blu and with Park Inn.
The prize can be used at Radisson Blue, Park Inn, and Radisson Missoni properties in these countries in Europe and the Middle East:
Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Latvia, Libya, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom (except at Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotels), United Arab Emirates.
I suppose I will now have to look into the bonus offerings of the Club Carlson credit card in order to extend the stay?
Europe, here we come!
I hope you are going to take me along on your European trip, hahahahahaa!
This month I’ve been busy entering sweepstakes for luxury homes. Fat chance.
Hmmm. Maybe this is not such a great deal if you have to travel to Europe or the Middle East to redeem the voucher.