Sep
03

Grantourismo Travel Blogging Competition: September

For our seventh contest in our yearlong series of monthly Grantourismo HomeAway Holiday-Rentals competitions we want you to create a mouthwatering, food-focused blog post, inspired by our series on The Dish, about the quintessential dishes of places. See these posts for inspiration.

Your blog post should consist of a delicious photograph(s)* (as few or as many as you wish!) and text up to 500 words*. You should describe a local dish, its significance to the place and culture, how you discovered it, your experience of it, and what it means to you. You could also include a recipe if you like, but that’s entirely up to you.

It’s important that your story and photograph(s) are your own, are original, and should not have been published in print or on other websites.

*Make sure you do not submit more than 500 words, although this month you can post as many photographs as you like. You heard right! In response to your requests, we’re allowing you to submit as many photos as like.

FIRST PRIZE A stay at a HomeAway Holiday-Rentals property of your choice anywhere in the world valued at UK£500/US$750, a Viator tour voucher worth £100/US$150, and an Olympus FE-4040 compact camera worth £125/US$190.

SECOND PRIZE A Context tour voucher worth US$100 and a private half-day tour with a local guide in a destination of your choice anywhere in the world from Our Explorer.

THIRD PRIZE an annual subscription to AFAR magazine.

The winning entry will be featured on Grantourismo, HomeAway UK’s Facebook page, and we, HomeAwayUK, Viator, Context, and Our Explorer will tweet your success on Twitter.

To be eligible to enter
Entry submission is by posting and linking and communication is through the Comments below and by Twitter, which means:
1. You must have your own blog/site, contribute to a group site, or post your blog to sites like www.matadortravel.com, www.bootsnall.com, www.travellerspoint.com,www.travelpod.com
2. You need to subscribe to Grantourismo via email/RSS, join our community on Google Friend Connect and join HomeAway Holiday Rental’s Facebook page to enter.
3. Follow @Gran_tourismo and @HomeAwayUK on Twitter, then alert us on Twitter that you’re following us for the #GrantourismoComp and we will follow you back.

How to enter
1. Upload your original entry to your blog before end of 30 September. We’ll visit your site to read your post, tweet about your entry, and other entrants will visit your blog for inspiration.
2. Identify at the end of your post that “This post has been entered into the Grantourismo HomeAway Holiday-Rentals travel blogging competition” and link to this post (so your entry appears in the Trackbacks below) and www.homeaway.co.uk. Tag the post with ‘Grantourismo’ and ‘HomeAway Holiday-Rentals’ so the judges can easily find it.
3. Leave your name and link to your post in the Comments – this serves as your submission.
4. Use Twitter to tweet us @Gran_tourismo and @HomeAwayUK to tell us your post is up, using#GrantourismoComp in your tweet. This also makes it easy for others to find your entry.

Winning Entries
1.We will notify winners by Twitter or email during the first days of October.
2.The first prize winner will be required to email us a high-res photo and text for publishing.
3.The winning entry will be posted here early October.

For more details, read the fine print below. If you have any questions, pop them in the Comments below.

The Fine Print – Terms and Conditions
1. Grantourismo monthly competitions are open to anyone aged 18 years or over, except anyone professionally associated with this competition or the sponsors.
2. All information detailing how to enter the competition forms part of these terms and conditions. It is a condition of entry that all rules are accepted as final and that the competitor agrees to abide by these rules. Submission of an entry will be taken to mean acceptance of these terms and conditions.
3. Submissions must be original, should not have been published before, should not appear on other blogs or websites, and should not infringe any copyrights.
4. Winners will be chosen by a judging panel consisting of HomeAway Holiday-Rentals staff; Scott McNeeley, Editor of the Viator blog; Context Travel staff; and Lara Dunston and Terence Carter. Judges decisions are final. The criteria used will include creativity, originality, quality of writing and photography, ability to engage an audience, and ability to inspire.
5. HomeAway Holiday-Rentals is offering a prize of £500/US$750 towards a stay in one of their properties listed on the HomeAway Holiday-Rentals website. The stay must be a minimum of 2 nights, although it can be longer. The winner must use http://www.homeaway.co.uk/ to book the property. HomeAway Holiday-Rentals will release the funds to the property owner and transfer the remainder to the winner to be used toward the trip.
6. Winners will be required to blog about their prizes, link back to Grantourismo, HomeAway Holiday-Rentals, and the sponsor of the prize they’ve won, and tweet about the post, using #GrantourismoComp.
7.Property stays and tours must be used within 12 months of notification.
8. While copyright of all submissions to the Competition remains with the entrants, winning entrants give permission to Grantourismo, HomeAway Holiday-Rentals, and the sponsors to feature the winning entries on their websites, blogs, or in any publications or promotional materials connected to this Competition.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED POSTS:

Categories: Grantourismo Competition

Tags: AFAR, blogging, competition, competitions, contest, contests, Context, food, food blogging, food photography, food writing, Grantourismo Travel Blogging Competition September, HomeAway Holiday Rentals, Our Explorer, photography, travel blogging, travel writing, Viator, writing

45 comments

3 pings

Anna Johnston says:

September 4, 2010 at 5:19 pm (UTC 11 )

Wow! Thankyou so much for your wonderful comment on my blog Lara – you guys are awesome, I so admire all you’ve achieved. I’ve spent the last 20 mins pouring over this site reading about your travels & the competitions you’ve held. I’m so impressed & look forward to coming back regularly to keep up with your adventures. Many thanks for connecting, I think you’ve met your newest fan
Cheers Anna
1. Lara Dunston says:
  
  September 5, 2010 at 11:15 am (UTC 11 )
  
  Thank you, Anna! I enjoyed stumbling onto your site and catching up on some Aussie industry news – especially on our hometown of Sydney!
  And thank you so much for your kind words – hugely appreciated! – likewise you’ll see us dropping in to visit you regularly!
Heather says:

September 20, 2010 at 4:12 am (UTC 11 )

Good call on sending email reminders for these contests! If I can pull myself away from thesis writing and conference prep I’ll find a delcious story for my blog…
1. Lara Dunston says:
  
  September 22, 2010 at 7:12 pm (UTC 11 )
  
  Good luck with that thesis and conference prep! I think we’ll understand if you don’t get an entry in this month!
The Enchanted Cook says:

September 22, 2010 at 12:03 pm (UTC 11 )

I’m so glad to have found your blog. I couldn’t stop reading it! Thanks for the chance at this Travel Blogging Competition. It must be kismet because even though I have a food blog I just recently visited the Oregon coast and was so captivated by it all that I posted a big entry about it! Here’s a link to it: http://theenchantedcook.blogspot.com/2010/09/catch-and-eat-adventures-in-portland.html

All the best and safe travels,
Veronica Culver
The Enchanted Cook
The Enchanted Cook says:

September 22, 2010 at 4:11 pm (UTC 11 )

Hi again – I’m hoping I can change my entry to a blog posting I did yesterday (which coincidentally ties back to a dish I love from New Orleans). My Oregon post way exceeds the word limit! Thanks and I hope it’s okay but my official entry is the following: http://theenchantedcook.blogspot.com/2010/09/blackened-fish-nuggets-with-remoulade.html

Thank you!
Veronica
The Enchanted Cook
1. Lara Dunston says:
  
  September 22, 2010 at 7:13 pm (UTC 11 )
  
  No worries! Can you please link to this post from your post so the URL appears in the trackbacks tomorrow. Makes our judges lives easier!
  
  Thanks!!! Good luck!
2. The Enchanted Cook says:
  
  September 22, 2010 at 8:02 pm (UTC 11 )
  
  Thanks Lara! I’ve linked back so hopefully that works!
Krista says:

September 22, 2010 at 6:26 pm (UTC 11 )

Thank you so much for this opportunity! Here is my contribution:

Bosnian Mountains and Balkan Cevapi

http://www.ramblingtart.com/2010/05/18/bosnian-mountains-and-balkan-cevapi/
1. Lara Dunston says:
  
  September 22, 2010 at 7:24 pm (UTC 11 )
  
  Hi Krista
  
  Thank *you* for such a delish entry – a nice cross between travel and food blog actually! Much appreciated!! Best of luck!
5 Star Foodie says:

September 23, 2010 at 5:49 am (UTC 11 )

Lara, thanks so much for visiting my site and letting me know about this contest! I would love to enter! I had a lot of posts to choose from and settled on this one: http://www.fivestarfoodie.com/2010/09/summer-trip-2010-crete-sights-wine.html

Thanks!
1. Lara Dunston says:
  
  September 30, 2010 at 6:04 am (UTC 11 )
  
  Thanks so much for your entry! Best of luck!
Luz Ojeda says:

September 23, 2010 at 5:54 am (UTC 11 )

Competition submission: http://www.studyspanishinoaxaca.com/blog/blog1.php/2010/09/22/shrimp-al-ajillo
1. lara dunston says:
  
  October 2, 2010 at 5:04 am (UTC 11 )
  
  Thanks! Best of luck with your entry!
Food Lover Kathy says:

September 24, 2010 at 2:12 am (UTC 11 )

Hello and here is my post for this month’s competition:
The Dish from Rome – Braised Oxtail

http://foodloversodyssey.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/09/the-dish-from-rome-italy-braised-oxtail-coda-alla-vaccinara.html
1. Terence Carter says:
  
  September 24, 2010 at 5:19 am (UTC 11 )
  
  Thanks for your entry. Love it. I did a Spanish version of oxtail early during our trip in Jerez:
  http://grantourismotravels.com/2010/03/11/¡ole-the-dish-rabo-de-toro-or-oxtail-stew/
Lisa Bergren says:

September 25, 2010 at 6:30 pm (UTC 11 )

At long last, an entry that doesn’t feature ITALIA but rather, Colorado. Turns out, my home state has her own share of feasts…

http://theworldiscalling.com/2010/09/classic-colorado-comfort-food/
1. Terence Carter says:
  
  September 25, 2010 at 7:15 pm (UTC 11 )
  
  Love it. Love Le Creuset pots and love the look of the dish! It really is classic comfort food. Thanks for entering and good luck!
Matt Long says:

September 26, 2010 at 5:20 pm (UTC 11 )

After a month away, I think I have a great entry for this month’s topic. A great dish I recently discovered in Hawaii. Mahalo!

http://landlopers.com/2010/09/26/lanai-chicken-katsu-tonkatsu/
1. Terence Carter says:
  
  September 27, 2010 at 5:40 am (UTC 11 )
  
  Dig it. The island sounds fascinating too!
  Good luck!
Corinne @ Gourmantic says:

September 27, 2010 at 2:44 am (UTC 11 )

Hi Lara and Terry
Here is my entry for this month’s competition:
The Dish of Aleppo: Kabab Bil Karaz – Cherry Kabab
http://www.gourmantic.com/2010/09/27/the-dish-of-aleppo-kabab-bil-karaz-cherry-kabab/

I hope you enjoy!
1. Terence Carter says:
  
  September 27, 2010 at 5:38 am (UTC 11 )
  
  Are you trying to bribe the judges by posting about one of our favourite cities and one of Lara’s fave dishes?
  A good, detailed post. Good luck!
2. Corinne @ Gourmantic says:
  
  September 27, 2010 at 4:39 pm (UTC 11 )
  
  I couldn’t possibly dream of bribing the judges without cooking for them Thanks for the kind words!
mvmaithai says:

September 27, 2010 at 3:33 am (UTC 11 )

Great competition!
Here’s my entry.
http://mvmaithai.blogspot.com/2010/09/chestnuts-gathering-in-fall-at-solomons.html
1. Terence Carter says:
  
  September 27, 2010 at 5:37 am (UTC 11 )
  
  Excellent. Good luck with your entry!
Natalia - a side of says:

September 28, 2010 at 5:55 am (UTC 11 )

What a great contest! Love your site, too. Here’s a link to my entry:
http://asideofsimple.wordpress.com/2010/09/28/travel-diaries-cinque-terre-and-pesto/
1. Terence Carter says:
  
  September 28, 2010 at 6:29 am (UTC 11 )
  
  Thanks for your entry. Love the Cinque Terre, love to visit it outside high season – was there for a photographic assignment a couple of years ago. A magic part of Italy.
  Have you ever tried making pesto in a mortar and pestle? Ours failed miserably!
  Thanks for your entry! Good luck.
Jonathan says:

September 28, 2010 at 2:12 pm (UTC 11 )

Love your site and had a big déjà vu moment when I realised that we’ve stayed in the same guest house in Sardinia – at Casa Teulada! So it’s quite fitting that the dish I’ve entered is Spaghetti alla Bottarga

http://aroundbritainwithapaunch.blogspot.com/2010/09/spaghetti-alla-bottarga.html

Cheers,

Jonathan
1. Terence Carter says:
  
  September 28, 2010 at 2:43 pm (UTC 11 )
  
  Nice work Jonathan, like your food photography! Best of luck.
Cheryl says:

September 28, 2010 at 2:59 pm (UTC 11 )

It was fun to be part of this month’s competition. Thanks for the opportunity to share! Here’s my entry on Moroccan tajine:
http://dearfamily.typepad.com/dear-family/food-and-drink/
1. Terence Carter says:
  
  September 28, 2010 at 3:08 pm (UTC 11 )
  
  Lovely. Thanks for your entry and good luck.
Nicole says:

September 28, 2010 at 11:00 pm (UTC 11 )

Thanks for hosting this contest! Here’s my contribution:

Cooking school in Japan: main courses
http://nicoledurbin.wordpress.com/2010/09/28/cooking-school-in-japan-main-courses
Nikki Bayley says:

September 29, 2010 at 2:34 am (UTC 11 )

Hi Guys, saw your contest & remembered the best breakfast I’ve ever had… Enjoy!
http://greatgreenworld.wordpress.com/2010/03/27/breakfast-in-baja-california/
Raquel Centeno says:

September 29, 2010 at 2:19 pm (UTC 11 )

Hi,

Here’s my contribution to the contest. Hiroshima’s okonomiyaki:

https://bocadosyviajes.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/hiroshimas-okonomiyaki/

Raquel
1. Terence Carter says:
  
  September 29, 2010 at 2:39 pm (UTC 11 )
  
  Looks delicious! Have to try that next time we’re in Japan. Good luck with the comp!
Vicki Potts says:

September 30, 2010 at 1:46 am (UTC 11 )

Hi, here’s my entry from a very enjoyable, but slightly uncomfortable, cooking class I did a couple of weeks ago in a basic Zanzibar home. I picked the chapati as using it to scoop up whatever curry or stew was on offer had become a habit after a couple of weeks in Tanzania and Zanzibar, it became knife, fork and spoon! http://redheadedtravels.com/2010/basics-zanzibarian-cooking-class/
Christine Medina says:

September 30, 2010 at 8:17 am (UTC 11 )

You can find my submission here: http://www.christineinspain.com/post/1216105722/buen-provecho

Thanks for this opportunity!
Katherine Knowles says:

September 30, 2010 at 9:42 am (UTC 11 )

Romance and chocolate in the city of love (including: unsuitable men, mopeds and inventive foreign swearwords) Chocolate pots and Paris
1. Terence Carter says:
  
  September 30, 2010 at 9:51 am (UTC 11 )
  
  Cool. Thanks for the entry! Good Luck.
G @ Sandier Pastures says:

September 30, 2010 at 9:47 am (UTC 11 )

I *think* I have an entry: http://www.sandierpastures.com/dubai/expat-life/shawarma-arabic-street-food-with-a-sense.html

~ Grace
Leverne says:

September 30, 2010 at 1:05 pm (UTC 11 )

By the skin of my chinny chin chin… here is my entry! leverne.travellerspont.com/8/
Leverne says:

September 30, 2010 at 1:08 pm (UTC 11 )

leverne.travellerspoint.com/8/ rather!
1. Leverne says:
  
  October 1, 2010 at 9:51 am (UTC 11 )
  
  Thx for the comment! so glad to hear you will be visiting South Africa! When can we expect you? Were are you going to visit? Would love to meet or have you over for coffee or even meet for a Bunny!
jif says:

September 30, 2010 at 1:42 pm (UTC 11 )

one last minute entry from smashandsniff…

http://smashandsniff.blogspot.com/2010/09/afghan-heirlooms.html

mmm a little qabili pilau in the mix.

cheers,

jif
1. lara dunston says:
  
  October 3, 2010 at 6:37 am (UTC 11 )
  
  Thanks for your entry! Wonderful story and dish looks delicious.