Laura Morrison and Russell Falcon
23 minutes ago
A tiny island can be seen near Helsinki in the Gulf of Finland. (Getty Images)
(WJW/NEXSTAR) – Looking for a free getaway, or maybe even one that could make money? Several countries around the world are handing out incentives to introduce new tourism in 2023.
Right now the people of Finland (or rather their legendary luck) have inspired a promotion that would allow 10 lucky Americans to visit the country for free.
To celebrate that Finns have been named the happiest people in the world in the World Happiness Report 2023 for the sixth straight year, Visit Finland is inviting 10 foreigners to visit for free this June. The organization offers a four-day master class on finding your inner Finn and pays for the trip to the all-inclusive Kuru resort.
There are also few conditions: you must be willing to come with an open mind, you must be okay with being filmed during the event, and you must be able to speak some English, according to Visit Finland.
“Finnish luck is a skill. A skill that can be learned. Now we want to share our secrets to living a balanced life on the whimsical side,” explains Visit Finland.
If you want to apply, you can start the process right here. Upon completion of a social media challenge, winners will be notified in May.
money for the visit
Finland isn’t the only country offering incentives to visit. Here are a few other locations and what they have to gain.
- Hong Kong — Ready to say hello Hong Kong? A new government campaign called Just That Offers 500,000 free plane tickets for tourists in 2023. The Hong Kong Tourism Board says it has worked with local hospitality businesses to offer at least 1 million “Hong Kong goodies,” which will attract around US$13 in incentive – Dollars include spending at restaurants, bars and area attractions. Applications for free tickets will be released in waves, with tourists from Asia being among those eligible to apply in the first two waves. From May 1st, individuals outside of Asia can enter via the Hong Kong Airport Authority’s World of Winners competition site.
- Taiwan — According to CNN, the island hopes to attract 6 million tourists this year (and 10 million by 2025). As part of the plan, Taiwan intends to award US$165 to 500,000 individual tourists and up to US$658 to 90,000 tour groups. No further details have been released as to when this program will begin, although Forbes reports that Chang Shi-chung, director-general of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, said the bids will be awarded gradually at tourism promotion events in 2023
