What is it?
The Lottery is used to determine businesses that will receive the option of purchasing a Featured Listing on VEP.com.
Why? It’s a desirable placement and there is more demand than supply. Featured Listings are guaranteed to show within the first 15 listings on a specific category page (Lodging- All, Lodging- Cabins & Cottages, Restaurants, etc.) for one calendar year starting July 2021.
This process gives all businesses an equal opportunity to purchase these popular placements.
To participate
Choose the categories you would like the option to purchase in the Lottery form. Using an online randomization program 15 winners are generated in each category, as well as a waitlist in case winnings are denied.
Enter categories based on your true business. If you own a hotel, do not enter the Outdoor Adventure category because your guests have access to outdoor adventure when staying with you. While true, it Is not what the guest is looking for in that instance and will negatively affect website performance—and your listing. That doesn’t help anyone!
Deadline
Midnight, May 23, 2021
What happens next?
After the submission deadline of May 23, 2021, all participants will be notified of the Lottery winnings on Wednesday, May 26. From that point, winners will have one week to claim their winnings. Winners may deny any category and the next business on the waitlist will be notified.
Waitlists are made during the randomization process; therefore, we cannot accommodate special requests such as “I don’t want this one, but if something pops up in Lodging- All, I’ll take it”. If a winning is denied, the next business on the waitlist will be offered the spot and so on.
Once Featured Listings have been claimed, we will contact stakeholders to solidify all online advertising. As always, first right of refusal will be held for placements that are not Featured Listings. Stakeholders can add and drop additional advertising at any time throughout the year.
Questions?
Email the Stakeholder Services team.
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The Rules
- Each business can enter as many applicable categories as they would like and may choose to purchase the spot after the Lottery is complete; this is a great way to help with the odds of winning at least one category.
- Only Lottery (Google form) submissions will be accepted. We are more than happy to fill out the form for you, but it must be over the phone and you must respond to our follow up confirmation email stating that we filled in the correct responses within 24 hours.
- Only forms submitted by the deadline will be accepted. Deadline for form submission is midnight Sunday, May 23, 2021.
- One Lottery (Google form) submission per business license. If you own two businesses with two separate business licenses, two Lottery (Google Form) submissions may be turned in.
- Categories entered must reflect your true business. We will review submissions and may contact you with any questions or to let you know that you do not qualify for a category you have selected. Lodging definition guidelines are below.
- Special requests cannot be accommodated; winners and waitlisted businesses will be offered the spot in turn.
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Lodging Definition Guidelines
Bed & Breakfasts must have a maximum of 11 private guest rooms available for overnight stays and a full English or continental breakfast included in the room cost to qualify.
Cabins & Cottages must be a singular, or a collection of standalone small houses to qualify. The guest occupies the entire structure during their stay.
Campgrounds & RV Parks must have space set aside for tents and/or RVs to qualify for the Campgrounds & RV Parks category.
Condos must provide self-contained condominium-style apartments within a single building for guests to rent short-term.
Hotels & Motels must have more than 10 private rooms which include private bathrooms available for guests to rent short term to qualify. Hotels are generally more than one story with rooms that open to the interior hallways of the building. Motels are generally not more than two stories and their guest rooms exit to the exterior of the building to accommodate motorists.
Lodges & Inns must have multiple rooms collectively under one roof to qualify. Lodges & Inns are typically smaller than hotels and offer meals. They should feel more rustic than typical hotels.
Pet-Friendly properties must allow pets in at least some, or all of their rooms/cabins/condos/campsites in order to qualify for the Pet-Friendly Category.
Suites are any lodging property that offers larger room options which include separate living spaces and bedrooms as well as a kitchen or kitchenette within their hotel, motel, lodge, or inn. Cabins and cottages do not qualify as suites.
Vacation rentals must be privately owned homes which are licensed and made available for short-term guest rentals to qualify. They can include houses, apartments, guest houses, townhomes, condos, or individual cabins.
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