Student loans are among the pesky pinches keeping aspiring travelers tied to a job in their home country. Hotel brand Days Inn plans to change that, at least for one traveler with a keen eye as a photographer and a dash of productive prose. In exchange for documenting two weeks of travel through photos and written updates for the company’s website, Days Inn will put $10,000 in your pocket to knock out that student debt.
Photo: Mostovyi Sergii Igorevich/Shutterstock
This Hotel Wants to Pay Off Your Student Loans and Send You Overseas
The return of the Days Inn Suntern program for a second year will send one winning applicant on a two-week, all-expense-paid trip to one or several global locations of their choice — as long as there’s a Days Inn there, of course. Last year’s “Suntern,” Lauren Breedlove, visited properties across the United States. You can one up this and head to places like Europe, South America, and Asia — Days Inn has hotels all over the world.
The concept was born from what Days Inn learned in last year’s inaugural campaign. Student loan debt was among the top things that prevented otherwise eligible candidates from applying for their program despite the fact that it was a paid opportunity. “We’re continually dreaming up ways to brighten guests’ stays at our hotels, fueling their days when they’re with us and their wanderlusts when they leave us,” said the brand’s Vice President of Brand Operations, Patrick Breen. “We believe everyone deserves a cultured, overseas experience — without deferring or prolonging student loans — and this mindset was the very inspiration behind this year’s global Sunternship program.”
If chosen, your work will be turned into a digital travel guide of the places you visit, built around your chops behind the lens and on the keyboard. Regular social media posts will highlight the journey as it happens, with your tips and experiences available forever after on the Days Inn website. If you believe you’re the top candidate for this gig, pull together your best sun-filled photo and 300-word entry describing your dream destination and why you belong there this coming August. You must be a US resident 21 years or older with a valid passport to be considered. Apply by May 24. 