‘California Dream Vacations’: What you need to know about the new vaccine incentive
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Governor Gavin Newsom announced more incentives as a part of the California Comeback Plan in San Francisco on Monday morning.
This includes the Vax for the Win program.
Tomorrow, on the day of California’s grand reopening, ten more vaccinated residents will be selected to win $1.5 million each.
Over 21 million people in California were entered to win $50,000 cash prize drawings and 30 have been selected — including 11 from the Bay Area.
There will also be a drawing on July 1 for six Californians to get a California ‘dream vacation’ and $2,000 towards a trip to a destination in the state.
“These epic vacations are just a sample of the endless variety of experiences California has to offer,” said Caroline Beteta, President & CEO of Visit California. “The state’s travel industry is rolling out the red carpet to travelers. With COVID-19 at record low rates in the state, now is the time to travel to California.”
The six trip packages include:
- Discover the Best of Anaheim package for four
- Greater Palm Spring Luxury package for two
- Premium Los Angeles Experience for four
- San Diego Beach Dream Vacation for four
- San Diego Downtown Dream Vacation for four
- San Francisco “Our Gate Is Open” Welcome Package for four
Similar to the Vax for the Win cash prize drawings, winners of the Dream Vacations will be randomly selected from the pool of eligible Californians and will not be initially announced to protect their privacy. Winners may be announced at a later date, if they consent.
Californians will be required to complete their vaccinations in order to claim their dream vacation.
The goal is to boost the tourism industry which has been hit extremely hard during the pandemic.
Tourism revenue in the state plummeted $80 billion from 2019 to 2020.
California has seen a 14% increase in vaccinations since the incentives were first announced. 72% of California’s eligible population have received at least one shot, Newsom said.
Newsom said the state will have an electronic system that allows residents to show a digital version of their COVID-19 vaccination status. But he said it is not a ‘vaccine passport.’
There will also be more prizes to come for people who got vaccinated from partners like the Warriors and the Clippers.