ASTA Announces Winner of ‘Vacation Do Over’ Contest

The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) has awarded the Freemyer family of Sweetser, Ind. as the winners of its “Vacation Do Over” contest.

The contest, which was announced earlier this year, sought to show travelers the value of using a travel agent by re-doing someone’s failed DIY vacation.

“Our goal in this campaign was two-fold,” said Zane Kerby, ASTA’s president and CEO. “First, we needed to understand the pain points that consumers experience when they book on their own. And second, we want to show the value that travel advisors provide by re-doing one ruined trip in particular for a lucky winner.”

The Freemyers worst vacation was Dan and Stephanie’s 8-day honeymoon, a road trip from Indianapolis to Arkansas to Tennessee to Durham that Dan had planned for the couple. The trip kicked off with a car accident and subsequent hospital visit on the first day and things only got worse from there—their car’s air conditioning broke, they locked the keys inside, a kayak tour they booked turned out to be a scam, and more.

Since their honeymoon two years ago, the Freemyers have expanded their family with two young children, Tait and Lucan. All four members of the family will now be sent on a do-over vacation put together by a verified ASTA travel advisor.

“We’re still in shock,” said Stephanie Freemyer. “Our failed honeymoon was years ago and there were so many parts of it that were epically bad. People kept telling us, ‘it only gets better,’ but each day kept getting worse until it literally ended in flames. Now we have two young boys who can join us on this vacation do over and we’re excited to make memories that will last forever. Thank you ASTA!”

Advisors can follow the Freemyer’s story here.