Thousands of Quebec travellers have won a free vacation contest to ring in the New Year.
The “Let It Snow promotion” by itravel2000.com, an online travel retailer, offered holidayers who booked through the company a chance to win their vacation package, flight or hotel if five inches (12.7 centimetres) of snow fell at one of four airports nearest them—specifically Montreal, Toronto, Halifax and Calgary—on New Year’s Day.
Quebec travellers were the big winners when Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport was the only one that met the standard. Some 14.8 centimetres of snow came down at the Montreal airport during the 24-hour measuring period Tuesday.
“Everyone who booked a trip with us in Quebec from June 12 (until Nov. 20) got their trip for free,” said Brad Miron, vice-president of marketing for itravel2000.com.
Miron wouldn’t divulge the exact number of winners because of a confidentiality clause between itravel2000.com and its insurance company, but said “it’s in the thousands, and the payout will be in the millions (of dollars).”
But itravel2000.com took precautions, taking out a large insurance policy in case travellers struck it big. The company turned to WeatherBill, which calls itself the world’s only online weather risk management service that allows business to protect revenues from the effects of bad weather.
WeatherBill said itravel2000 took out the largest single-day weather coverage in history.
Jonathan Carroll, president of itravel2000.com, said his company’s insurance policy covered about $100 million, and it took three years to find someone to underwrite and put together the promotion.
Carroll called the promotion “a tremendous success from top to bottom” and he said the fact there are winners is fantastic.
When asked if his company would consider a similar contest in the future, Carroll said “absolutely, 100% we’re going to do it again.”
