Student Travel Deals for the Great Barrier Reef

Speaking of the Great Barrier Reef, if you don’t win this contest (and the odds are like 1 in 30,000 that you will, if you enter), take a look at the deal Travel CUTS has right now for student travelers headed to Australia.

This deal is for Canadians and Americans alike (hooray!) and will save you 10% on selected tours in Queensland. A lot of people don’t make it all the way north in Queensland. They get as far as Byron Bay, have a little too much fun in that backpacker haven, and wake up a few days / weeks later just in time to get back to Sydney and fly home. And that’s a shame. An embarassing shame.

If you can get up to Cairns and Daintree National Park, you’re in for a treat. It’s a great place to get out scuba diving or sailing, and once in the park, you have a chance to see some of the real Australia.

Americans, check out this deal just for you. Canadians, have a look at what Travel CUTS has available for you. Book by March 31st to take advantage of these offers. Good on ya!

Manage an Island, Get Paid to Lounge

It’s impressive what some places are coming up with to increase tourism. A couple of months ago I read about a new ad campaign for New Zealand that promoted it’s high female-to-male ratio, apparently to encourage male visitors. Feminists didn’t love it, but it was very creative.

Now Queensland, Australia, is doing it’s part to lure people to the southern hemisphere with a new promotion that asks you to apply for the Best Job in the World. And I don’t think they’re too far off.

It appears to be equal parts contest and job application, which makes sense as the person they choose gets both a prize and a responsibility. If you win, you get to live on a gorgeous island in the Great Barrier Reef and do mostly what you want for six months. And you get paid a lot of money. But you also have to spend time compiling a weekly blog of videos and photos that will entice others to come and visit. Which just means you’ll get your 15 minutes of Internet fame, which is sort of like another prize.

To enter / apply,  start by making a video of 60 seconds or less that will convince the board that you’re the one they want. Fill out the application and upload your video before the February 22, 2009 deadline to be considered.

You have 40 more days to apply, so get creative. And save a guest room for me.

Win a Trip to the Great Barrier Reef

When it comes to traveling Australia, Sydney and Melbourne get a lot of attention.  So does Uluru and the Outback. But along with the Opera House and the red dirt, if there’s part of Australia you have to experience as a student backpacker, it’s the Great Barrier Reef.

You can sail the Whitsundays and get a good taste of Aussie ocean life, but if you want to live out the whole ”Finding Nemo” thing, getting up close and personal with crazy colorful fish of all shapes and sizes, then you need to get to Cairns for a scuba or snorkeling trip. Because Cairns is such a popular jumping off point for tours, it’s also a hotspot for nightlife and a great place to meet other travelers.

Right now Travel CUTS is offering a chance to win a trip to the Reef with their Change Your Latitude promotion. You get get all the details on their website, but here’s what the Grand Prize Winner will receive:

Roundtrip flights for 2 to Cairns, from: Toronto, Vancouver,
New York or Los Angeles

2-Nights twin accommodation at The Calypso Inn
Backpackers Resort in Cairns

2-Day Cape Tribulation ‘Go Wild’ Reef n Rainforest Tour for 2, including:

• Round-trip transfer from Cairns to Cape Tribulation
• One night’s twin accommodation at the Cape Trib Beach House
• Day trip to the Great Barrier Reef, including lunch
• Also included: Rainforest Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary, Port Douglas, Mossman Gorge, Daintree River Cruise, Cape Tribulation

The site also offer a currency converter and a trip planner if you want to put together an adventure of your own. Tour the rainforest, camp on the beach, travel by 4WD vehicle, go rafting or do it all. You can pick and choose the sites and activities that interest you to put together your perfect trip.