After a very somber year for the industry, some travel companies have been injecting a bit more fun and creativity back into their marketing and products.
For instance, Gap Adventures and Contiki Vacations have both launched online competitions and auctions. As part of Gap's Create Your Own Adventure travel contest, for which entries are due by March 31, the winning adventure will be featured in the Canadian operator's 2011 brochure, and the winner will travel on his or her winning itinerary with two companions. Contiki's online trip auctions for the 18-to-35-year-old set launched in November; upcoming auctions for trips include Ireland (the auction runs March 16 through 19) and the Mediterranean (the auction runs March 30 through April 2).
Then there's Cleveland-based Competitours, which launched last year and is selling an "Amazing Race"-style travel competition, in which 17 two-person teams battle through a 9-day mystery itinerary in Europe, complete with daily challenges.
The tour operator hosted two competitions last year and hopes to host between three and eight in 2010, depending on how many people sign up, throughout Western and Central Europe.
"Each day we send you to a new mystery city," explained Competitours founder Steve Belkin. In each city, competitors choose from a list of available challenges that carry a varying potential for points. So perhaps a challenge on the outskirts of the city has the same point potential as two challenges within the city.
"It's not about speed. It's more about being clever and creative," Belkin said. "Every time you go to a challenge locale or accomplish a challenge, you have to document it on video."
There are two judges, a travel writer and a photographer based in Cleveland, who award points based on the videos, which are uploaded at the end of the day by each team. The results are available for the teams the next morning.
"Judges will compare the videos and assign points based on proving the challenge, showing a little style and how you narrated what you did," Belkin said.
A compilation of 2009 videos can be found on Competitours' Facebook page.
The top three winning teams win cash prizes or Starwood points.
"The time that you'll spend with the other teams will primarily be during the intercity transport," said Belkin. "It's a good opportunity to do a little bit of bonding. At night, if you want to hang out with other teams, great. If you want to hang out on your own, fine."
He added, "We cherry-pick all the cool, fun challenges in each city."
The cost of the trip is $2,675 per person, based on double occupancy, and includes roundtrip airfare from two to-be-determined East Coast gateways, all hotels and intercity transportation, which is predominantly rail. Meals are not included, and participants also are on their own when it comes to challenge-related costs (admission to a museum or attraction in order to complete a challenge, for example).
Travel agents can book the trips for their clients, although there is no commission. Rather, Belkin said, agents who sign up four teams with Competitours will receive a free international business class ticket.