Backpackers.com

Cool prizes for backpackers in the ‘Adventures in Hostelling’ writing contest

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Golden Gate Council of Hostelling International USA the ‘Adventures in Hostelling Writing Contest‘ is looking for real-life stories from backpackers like you…

“In a nutshell, we’re seeking really short (150-250 words), personal stories from travelers about their experiences hostelling. Stories can be funny, serious, romantic, touching…as long as they’re true. The winners will be chosen by a jury made up of professional travel writers and other travel industry folks, and will receive great prizes, including round-trip international airfare and Flip Video cameras! “

What they’re looking for is “real-life anecdotes that help to illustrate the range of broadening experiences made possible through hostelling” – you know the kind… tales of meeting memorable people, encountering new cultures or fresh perspectives, embarking on unforeseen adventures, making a life-altering decision, or any other hostel experience that had an impact on your life.

To sweeten the pot, there are some pretty awesome prizes:

• One Grand Prize winner will receive a voucher for round-trip, international travel on American Airlines.
• Three Jury Prize winners will each receive a Flip Video camera.
• Honorable Mention winners will each receive a one-year Hostelling International membership.

So, get those typing fingers tapping and enter online here. Deadline for entries is 15 July 2008. Good luck!

Posted in Competitions & Giveaways, Hostels | 1 Comment »

Win tickets to Wickerman, Scotland’s fiery frolicksome music festival…

Scotland’s Wickerman Festival is a veritable feast of fiery frolicks and wickery shenanigans – and you could be getting your share of both for free this summer!

Yep, we’re giving away two pairs of tickets for this crazy Scots weekend festival – tickets that would normally cost £75 each! So, if you fancy a cool £150’s worth of entertainment, just like that, read on to find out how you can win…

Wickerman is set to fire things up this July (25th and 26th) – literally: the weekend-long Scots arts and music festival culminates in the ultimate highlight – the torching of a 30ft wicker ‘man’!

“T in the Park, Indian Summer and Connect may have more starry musical line-ups but do they climax with a 30ft wicker effigy being sacrificed to the gods, as the Wickerman does? They do not. This kind of eccentric charm is key to the appeal…” (Scotsman review)

To enter, all you need to do is to give us the names of your two artists performing at the Wickerman Festival 2008, and send them and your contact details (including a telephone number) to events@backpackers.com.

First correct entry drawn, wins. Competition ends 10 July 2008. Prize is for general admission tickets only, and does not include transport to or from the event. Winner must be able to use the tickets, or they will be given to someone who can!

Posted in Competitions & Giveaways, Destinations, Festivals | 1 Comment »

Global Gathering is coming… and we’re giving away tickets!

The UK’s Global Gathering, that feast of dance music and revelry, is coming up at the end of July.  Now, we know backpackers very often would LOVE to go to a kick-ass festival like this one, but have to hold back so they have enough money for little luxuries like food and train tickets.

So, we’ve organised a little something for two backpacking wanderers out there…  We’re giving away two pairs of tickets this year’s festival – that’s one for you and one for a friend.

All you have to do to enter the draw is head on over to our competition page, answer the easy peasy question posed there, and send us your details.  First two correct entries win!

Posted in Competitions & Giveaways, Destinations, Festivals | No Comments »

When a picture is worth 10,000 Aussie dollars…

Do you think your photo is worth $10,000?   Well, if you’re Australian, have a talent for photography and have spent some time in Queensland (snapping away), it just might be!

Yep, Tourism Queensland is inviting all Australians, whether at home or abroad, to upload their “best shot of holidaying in Queensland – one that captures the essence of (their) WOW Queensland experience”.

All photos will be judged by a select group of Tourism Queensland staff members, with expertise in photography.  They’ll be looking for the photo that best captures a unique Queensland experience.

And the person who took that there winning photo will win a whopping $10,000 worth of Queensland holiday vouchers to plan their “ultimate WOW Queensland escape”.

So, dig out those holiday snaps and send in your best one.  The competition is fierce, but fingers crossed, you could be heading back there with a good bit of dosh to spend on living it up for a while…

Posted in Competitions & Giveaways, Destinations, Travel Photos | No Comments »

Win Tickets To Global Gathering 2008!

We’re giving two lucky backpackers out there the chance to win a pair of weekend tickets to the world’s biggest and most popular dance and live music festival, Global Gathering.

Yes, that’s two pairs of tickets up for grabs!

Kanye West, Mark Ronson, Moby and Roisin Murphy will headline what is one of the world’s biggest electronic festivals, joining a line up that features the greatest DJs on the planet including Armin Van Buuren, Tiesto and David Guetta.

50,000 people are once again expected to congregate at the Long Marston Airfield on the 25th and 26th July to soak up the incredible atmosphere – and party until the wee hours of the morning (before starting all over again).

The festival assembles the greatest DJs from all around the world and the best live bands on the scene.

Winners will be able to explore the sixteen arenas over two days that play host to every genre of music from Disco House to drum and bass, block rocking beats and pumping euphoric trance. For full details see www.globalgathering.co.uk.

To enter, all you need to do is to give us the names of your two favourite DJ’s playing at Global Gathering 2008, and send them and your contact details (including a telephone number) to events@backpackers.com.

First correct entry drawn, wins. Competition ends 10 July 2008. Prize is for general admission tickets only, and does not include transport to or from the event. Winner must be able to use the tickets, or they will be given to someone who can!

Posted in Competitions & Giveaways, Destinations, Festivals | 4 Comments »

Kumuka Travel Photography Competition 2008: Win A Tour To Kenya, Columbia or Egypt

Inveterate traveller? Consider yourself a deft hand at taking good photographs? Fancy winning a tour to Kenya, Columbia or Egypt?

Well, if so it sounds like you might be interested in a sweet little competition being held by the guys over at Kumuka Worldwide.

They’re looking for your favourite travel shots from Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Europe, Latin America, The Middle East or the Trans Siberian – within the following three categories:

1.) Kumuka Travellers and Families
Send us your best shots of you or your friends and family on tour. Whether it’s bungy jumping at Vic Falls or trekking to Everest Base Camp, the more adventurous or crazy the better!

2.) Landscapes, Landmarks and Wildlife
Kumuka’s tours traverse some of the most stunning landscapes on earth. We are looking for that magical photo from the Amazon, The Serengeti, The Himalayas or any place where you have captured its unique beauty.

3.) People and Culture
If you’ve captured friendly locals and their colourful festivals, fascinating rituals or just going about their day to day business.

The prizes:
1st – Discover Colombia Tour
2nd – Rift Valley Wildlife Tour of Kenya and Tanzania
3rd – Oases and Pharaohs Tour of Egypt

Entries can be submitted by email only and there is no limit to how many you can send in. To enter, send a high resolution jpeg file (with a description of the ‘story’ or circumstances behind the photo – 50 words max) to photocomp (at) kumuka.com.

And, check out previous winners for a little inspiration.

Posted in Competitions & Giveaways, Destinations | 2 Comments »

Fantastic Prizes For Backpackers In Rail Europe’s eNewsletter Launch

Rail Europe is about to launch a monthly eNewsletter which will contain all sorts of tips and information about rail travel to Europe as well as promotions and exclusive online offers.

And, to encourage subscription, they’re dangling a nice little carrot to all travellers (or wannabe travellers) – sign up before 30 June 2008 and you could win one of the following five fab prizes:

1. Sonia Bravia 40” LCD HD TV (not much use on the road, but afterwards… awesome!)
2. Paris city break for two
3. Apple iPod Touch
4. Digital camera (Olympus Miju 850SW)
5. £100 Play.com Voucher (for DVD’s, music, games etc)

Worth a try, isn’t it? Oh, check the fine print, though – winners have to have been residents of the UK for the last 6 months, so if you haven’t, find a friend who has!

Posted in Competitions & Giveaways, Destinations, Transport | No Comments »

3 Days Left To Win Tickets To Roskilde Festival!

Denmark’s Roskilde Festival is one of the biggest and best music festivals on the European summer festival circuit, drawing thousands of fans from all over the world.

The hugely popular festival this year boasts an unbelievable lineup of the world’s biggest and greatest bands and artists, including Radiohead, The Chemical Brothers, Jay-Z or Nick Cave (amongst many many others).

And, if you want to try your hand at making music, you can even wander into the festival’s Explosion Village, where you can create your own rhythms on touch-sensitive luminous stones!

Okay, so here’s the good news: you could win two tickets (weekend tickets, including warmup) to Roskilde 2008 – right here, right now. These babies normally go for DKK 1650 (about 220 Euro), and we’re giving two away!

But, there are only 3 days left to enter, so head over to our Roskilde Festival giveaway, and get your entries in before 29 May 2008!

Posted in Competitions & Giveaways, Destinations, Festivals | No Comments »

Win Tickets To Roskilde Festival!

Roskilde Festival is only 40 days away (and counting). Not only is it Northern Europe’s biggest music festival, with an unbelievable lineup of the world’s biggest and greatest bands and artists, but it also offers exciting events and activities, cinema, skate and art.

So, in between partying it up to the sounds of Radiohead, The Chemical Brothers, Jay-Z or Nick Cave (amongst many many others), you can wander into the Explosion Village and create your own rhythms on luminous stones which react to your touch!

Now, weekend tickets (including the warm-up) normally go for DKK 1650 (about 220 Euro), but we’re giving two tickets away, right here!

That’s right – one lucky backpacker out there will win two weekend tickets to one of the best festivals on the planet! All you have to do to enter is to answer the following questions:

1. Who is the official sponsor of Roskilde Festival 2008?
2. True or False: “Each year, Roskilde Festival donates any profits from the festival to humanitarian and cultural purposes.” (hint)
3. In what year was the first Roskilde Festival held?

Use our contact form to send us your answers and contact details by 29 May 2008. Please include a contact number and a postal address, as we’ll need to get those tickets to you!

Good luck!

Fine print:  the prize is for standard weekend festival tickets only – it does not include transport to or from the festival.

Posted in Competitions & Giveaways, Festivals | 3 Comments »

One Week Left To Enter The April Travel Quiz (& Win A Trip On The Eurostar Plus Your Very Own ISE Student Card)

There’s just one week left to enter our April Travel Quiz.

Answer a few easy travel-related questions and you could win 2 tickets on the Eurostar (London-Paris return, or vice versa) as well as 2 money-saving student discount cards from ISE Cards!

Having an ISE Card to hand not only gives you access to worldwide discounts that can realistically save you hundreds of dollars on your trip, they also provide for medical benefits whilst you’re travelling (up to $2,000 in medical expenses, and up to $5,000 in evacuation fees, if necessary).

And, if you didn’t know so already, hopping on the Eurostar is one of the quickest and most painless ways to get from London to the continent of Europe.

It’s also more eco-friendly than travelling by gas-guzzling planes (good for the conscience) – hop on at St Pancras in London and just over 2 quiet hours later you’re stepping off into Paris’s Gare du Nord, ready to explore the City of Lights.

So, if you’d like a chance of winning this awesome travel prize, head over to our Travel Quiz right now, and we’ll put you into the draw. Good luck and happy travels!

Posted in Competitions & Giveaways, Destinations | 1 Comment »