Jeopardy! wants to send you to South Africa

Popular American quiz show Jeopardy! and South Africa Tourism have joined forces to launch a new contest that will send one lucky winner off on the trip of a lifetime. To enter, simply drop by the Visit South Africa Facebook page, click on the “Jeopardy!” link and fill out the short form. You’ll want to hurry though, as the contest only runs through March 22 and a winner will be randomly selected the following day.

That lucky winner will receive an all-expense-paid ten day trip to South Africa that includes round trip airfare and luxury accommodations in some of the country’s best hotels. They’ll also travel by train aboard the famous Rovos Rail while immersing themselves in both culture and adventure activities throughout the region. Of course, no visit to South Africa is complete without going on safari, and the winner will be treated to daily game drives while spending two nights at the MalaMala Game Reserve where they’ll go in search of lions, elephants and a variety of other creatures.

To celebrate the launch of this promotion, Jeopardy! has also created an online version of the game that includes categories that are focused on South Africa. Trivia and travel buffs can test their knowledge of the country and its abundant wildlife. While the questions aren’t particularly tough it is still fun to play through.

Having visited South Africa in the past I can tell you that it is amongst my favorite destinations. The country is a great blend of culture and adventure that isn’t found anywhere else and the diversity of wildlife has to be seen to be believed. Whoever wins this trip is in for a real treat to say the least.


Shock Top beer wants to empty your bucket list before the world ends

If you believe the doomsayers and the Mayans, then December 21, 2012, will mark the end of the world. That means we have just 287 days left to live and if you are anything like me, you probably still have a lot that you would like to accomplish before we all meet our demise. Fortunately, Shock Top beer has announced The Final Challenge, which will give four lucky winners the opportunity to scratch one last item off their bucket lists before the end arrives.

The Final Challenge is all about doing something epic with our remaining days on the planet. Whether that means climbing Kilimanjaro, parasailing over the Amazon, or jumping out of a plane above the Mojave Desert, Shock Top wants to hear about it and they may even make that last wish come true.

To enter into The Final Challenge simply visit the Shock Top Facebook page and click the “Like” button. From there you’ll have the opportunity to create a challenge of your own, describing in 140 characters or less what it is you would like to do before the end of the world is upon us. You can even invite three of your friends to join you on this excursion and if Shock Top finds the challenge worthy, you could all be whisked away on one last adventure. Contestants are allowed to enter more than once and if you’re looking for a bit of inspiration you can read the challenges that others have posted as well.

In all, four winners will be selected with the first winner announced on March 21. After that, Shock Top will announce another winner about every month running through June. That gives you several opportunities to clear items off of your bucket list before December 21.

So? If the end really is just a few short months away, what is it that you’d like to do?


Viator.com launches dream travel job contest for budding filmmakers

If you’re a travel buff with a passion for film, you could be in the running to win the gig of a lifetime from online travel agency Viator.com.

Through Viator’s “Win Your Dream Travel Job” contest, four winners will be tasked with traveling through 20 countries in 60 days in both North America and Europe, and documenting their adventures on camera. The winners will be placed in teams of two and provided with professional video equipment, roundtrip travel, and a budget of $15,000 per person to cover lodging and expenses. In addition to providing content for Viator’s library of travel videos, the teams will also produce final wrap-up videos, which will be pitted against each other in an online Facebook competition with $10,000 awarded to the top-voted team.

To enter, submit a one-to-three minute video on Viator’s Facebook page showing off your travel experience, storytelling abilities, and cinematic prowess on one of three subjects: things to do in your city, top travel tips, or memorable travel experiences. Every two weeks starting March 15, Viator will select a new winner. The last call for submissions is April 25.

For more of the nitty gritty, watch the following video, or check out Viator on Facebook.

Lomography launches travel photography competition

Lomography has teamed up with Virginia is for Lovers for a new photo competition that will award the most talented camera-toting travelers the chance to win limited edition cameras and vacations in Virginia. Called “Love Unexpected,” the year-long competition marks the first time Lomography has partnered with a tourism office for a special promotion.

The competition combines the analog philosophy of Lomography with the nostalgic vibe of Virginia’s small towns, which are full of places such as chromed-out diners, drive-in theaters, and other roadside wonders. Playing off of Virginia’s age-old tagline, “Virginia is for Lovers,” all entrants have to do submit photographs of things that they love that go along with a monthly theme. Ten winners a month will win a camera branded with the Virginia is for Lovers theme, and from those shutterbugs four grand prize winners will be chosen to partake in themed vacations in Virginia. Themes include a “Roadside Wonders” trip, the “Wines Brews, and Spirits” trip, an “Old School Seaside Eats” trip, and the “Music Jams” trip, where the winner will be dubbed the “official event photographer for Virginia is for Lovers” at the 2012 Floyd Fest.

More information on the contest, which runs through December 2012, can be found at www.virginia.lomography.com. If you’d like to purchase the limited edition camera, they are on sale for $109 online.

Image courtesy Virginia is for Lovers / Lomography.

The adventures of the island interns

The Adventures of the Island Interns is a new online travel video series following the life-changing journey of Ben Brown and Luke Hansen, winners of the first-ever Island Intern Contest.

Held last Spring and hosted by Amble Resorts, the eco-development company searched for an intern to live on the site of their flagship eco-development, Isla Palenque, a 400-acre private island/ecotourism playground featuring twelve beaches, volcanic bluffs and abundant wildlife.

This week, the first episode, “The Opportunity of a Lifetime,” shows the excitement and life-changing outcome of the Island Intern Contest that sent Hansen and Brown to live on tropical Isla Palenque, Panama for six weeks last summer to document their experience.

This contest is part of Amble’s mission to shine a light on emerging destinations like Panama’s Chiriqui province while emphasizing the importance of preserving the world’s most spectacular natural and cultural wonders.

The 12-part online travel video series will be released Mondays.


Photo: Amble Resorts