TRAVEL WRITING TOPS LIST OF DREAM JOBS

The allure of being paid to see the world is hard to resist, with 59% of Aussies selecting travel writing as their dream career, according to new research by lastminute.com.au, Australia’s leading travel and lifestyle website.

Other exclusive jobs were surprisingly less appealing with just 13% of people wishing they could be an elite sportsperson, 12% craving the power of being a CEO, 8% fantasising about being a rock star, 5% willing to trade it all to be a famous model and 4% keen to be a newsreader.

According to the survey of 17,000 Aussies, the top reasons for wanting to be a travel journalist include indulging a passion for travel and writing; sharing their experiences with others; no two days being the same; not being stuck in an office, and of course being paid to experience new destinations.

The chance to make dreams a reality!

The survey findings coincide with the launch this week of lastminute.com.au’s blog competition, with budding travel writers being given the chance to become reviewers for the soon to be launched Live every lastminute blog.

“If your mates would describe you as fun loving, spontaneous, up for anything and full of life, then you might be just what we’re looking for,” said lastminute.com.au spokesperson Courtney Maywald.

“Of course you have to like travel and free stuff too, but hopefully that won’t rule too many people out!"

Entering the competition is as easy as submitting a sample blog entry about a recent adventure along with a photo and encouraging friends to vote. It’s easy to share entries on Facebook, Twitter or via email to encourage crucial votes.

The three people from each state and territory who receive the highest number of votes will be shortlisted and the lucky eight winners selected by lastminute.com.au – one from each state and territory - will receive free trips and experiences every month for a year.

“From chic hotel stays to cooking classes, we'll give you a year's worth of amazing experiences, and in return all you have to do is tell us and our audience what you think. It sounds like a pretty good deal to me!” said Maywald.

For more details check out: www.freestuffforayear.com.au

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For more info or an interview with Courtney Maywald, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Email: marketing_lastminute [at] lastminute [dot] com [dot] au

lastminute.com.au launched in Australia in 2000 and offers a range of products and services to Australians including hotels, international flights, domestic flights, holidays, gifts, experiences, car hire and travel insurance. The company has continued to develop a distinctive brand that communicates spontaneity and a sense of adventure, attracting a loyal community of registered subscribers. Today, lastminute.com.au has over 344,000 subscribers in Australia.

ABOUT THE SURVEY

The findings of this survey are based on a sample of 17,000 completed responses collected by an online survey in January, 2011. Invitations to participate in the survey were published online on lastminute.com.au, via email newsletter to lastminute.com.au users.