Travel

Free vacation after attending a travel package presentation

  • Last Updated:
  • Jan 1st, 2018 1:00 am
Deal Addict
Oct 8, 2015
4286 posts
4641 upvotes
Province of Bring Ca…

Free vacation after attending a travel package presentation

My colleague told me he went to a travel agency's prensentation and got a certificate for free vacation to Mexico. We can just attend once and don't buy the membership. My colleague told me his friends really got the free trip. He just showed me the certificate but have not used it.

Is it a scam? Any idea?
11 replies
Deal Fanatic
Sep 16, 2004
9779 posts
2050 upvotes
Toronto
Probably not free.
Your friend just needs to scam a few people including you to go o the presentation where they will offer to sell you more stuff.
He in turn gets a free ticket if he meets the quota.
Deal Addict
May 10, 2011
1482 posts
540 upvotes
Ottawa
naticom wrote: My colleague told me he went to a travel agency's prensentation and got a certificate for free vacation to Mexico. We can just attend once and don't buy the membership. My colleague told me his friends really got the free trip. He just showed me the certificate but have not used it.

Is it a scam? Any idea?
Is it a scam? Does it sound too good to be true? You think any business can survive solely by offering free vacation to people?

He got a certificate, not a free trip (yet). Wait until he actually come back from the vacation then make the decision to go to the presentation or not.
Deal Fanatic
Feb 15, 2006
9183 posts
3861 upvotes
Toronto
I've seen these certificates before (yes I attended some presentations in my younger, foolish days)

Those certificates usually offer days at some hotels. You'll ave to fly there yourself.

But the dates you can go for vacation, you may not find availability, you may not get the choice of hotels you like in that city. There may be some hotel fees you still need to pay. To book the hotel, they ask you for credit card number, for some charges (e.gl US$99) to hold your rooms, and supposedly when you go they'll refund that money. At that point (of needing to give CC), I told them forget it.
Deal Addict
Oct 18, 2014
2050 posts
925 upvotes
HK
It's usually a timeshare presentation. It's definitely not free, and requires your time.

I've been to a few only when they are a 1-2 hour pitch. These guys lurk around the Fairmont in Whistler/Tremblant. They usually target individuals with high income.
Deal Expert
Feb 7, 2017
27765 posts
27805 upvotes
Eastern Ontario
Arrgh wrote: I've seen these certificates before (yes I attended some presentations in my younger, foolish days)

Those certificates usually offer days at some hotels. You'll ave to fly there yourself.

But the dates you can go for vacation, you may not find availability, you may not get the choice of hotels you like in that city. There may be some hotel fees you still need to pay. To book the hotel, they ask you for credit card number, for some charges (e.gl US$99) to hold your rooms, and supposedly when you go they'll refund that money. At that point (of needing to give CC), I told them forget it.
This

OR...
McKinsey wrote: It's usually a timeshare presentation. It's definitely not free, and requires your time.

I've been to a few only when they are a 1-2 hour pitch. These guys lurk around the Fairmont in Whistler/Tremblant. They usually target individuals with high income.
This

In either case nothing comes for FREE

Scenario # 1 is very popular when you visit Travel Shows etc... they want your data... in exchange they tell you you’ll get a FREE Vacation (often a AI Resort or Cruise) for a few days. But it’s just the basics... you are expected to pay everything else... airfare, taxes, fees & port charges, transfers, and a long list of other extras (Resort Fees, Meals / Booze, Activities & Excursions, Tips & Gratuities etc). That all adds up to be WAY MORE than the bit they gave you for FREE ... lol especially so if the FREE Vacation is for 4 Days, but the Plane only comes by once every 7 Days

Secenario # 2 is a bit more legit... but these 90 Minute to 3 Hour Timeshare Presentations are HIGH PRESSURE SALES EVENTS... for many folks excruciating. I could never sit thru one... not because I cannot say NO... cause I can... but I just cannot waste my time to that extent even if it means I got a FREE Getaway Weekend at the likes of Whistler, Mont Tremblant or somewhere warm & sunny. My time and personal peace of mind is worth money too... not going to spend a whole day stressed out during & afterwards out of a 3 day getaway on this... even if the Getaway Weekend was otherwise FREE

Now mind you I got friends... they got real balls... they do this Timeshare Stuff anytime it comes round. They are super cheapskates and don’t see anything wrong with getting a Weekend for FREE this way. I always think it kind of dishonest on their part cause clearly they have ZERO intention of buying... and they do give the Timeshare Salesperson much grief. I truly feel sorry for the Timeshare Salesperson who is typically a younger Salesperson trying desperately to make numbers / Commission. My friends just wasted a few hours of both their lives.

IMO... time not well spent at all... despite the sunshine or skiing.
Deal Addict
Oct 23, 2017
2965 posts
2633 upvotes
GTA West
Yup, listen to Pointshubby. Don't do the Scenario 2. These can be very difficult to handle. They can sell those timeshares to people who never expected to buy.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Sep 7, 2004
9135 posts
7097 upvotes
West GTEH!
Gotta love Timeshare Presentations for Freebies...................
😎
Deal Addict
User avatar
Oct 25, 2009
4329 posts
1344 upvotes
Moncton
Churches should do this the boost membership. Israel does it.
Toronto is a very small part of Canada
Deal Guru
User avatar
Aug 24, 2016
11669 posts
14022 upvotes
Win-ter-peg
Webhead wrote: Gotta love Timeshare Presentations for Freebies...................
+1

Got back from Riviera Maya Mexico on Christmas Eve, and while there, was approached by the timeshare people.
I was offered 2 resort branded T-shirts and a bottle of Tequila to sit in the 90 minute presentation.
Our rep started out in the buffet area where she wanted to have breakfast, but we had just had breakfast minutes before, so we passed on that, and it actually brought the presentation time down to 60 minutes.
They did try hard, but they didn’t get a sale from me.
But the Tequila made a heck of a Christmas when I came back :lol:
Deal Fanatic
Jun 11, 2005
8633 posts
2399 upvotes
Mississauga
It is the same old story if its too good to be true WALK AWAY. You don't get anything of value for free.

Top

Thread Information

There is currently 1 user viewing this thread. (0 members and 1 guest)