Earlier this year, Canadian authorities made it possible for doctors to prescribe free passes to the country’s national parks for improved mental and physical health. Now, Canada is inviting its neighbors to the south to visit its glorious wilderness with a giveaway as big as the great outdoors.
The Canada “âefresh” Program is hosting a giveaway, with park passes for thousands of entrants and a Canadian sabbatical for one lucky winner. Prizes include:
- Parks Canada Discovery Passes: 4,000 year-long Discovery Passes. These passes, worth about $113 (U.S.), cover unlimited admission to all participating national parks, national marine conservation areas and national historical sites in Canada, as well as all the privileges and services that come with daily admission.
- Dream Nature Sabbatical: One American recipient will be provided a Parks Canada sabbatical worth $20,000 to take in the natural beauty and enjoy the “mental health and wellness benefits” of Canada’s national parks, according to a press release. This prize comes in the form of an Annual Parks Canada Discovery Family/Group Pass, a $15,000 (U.S.) credit for air transportation, hotel accommodations and select tour options, $2,500 in gift cards for equipment needed to explore the parks and a $2,500 travel stipend.
Canada has 171 national historic sites, 47 national parks, five national marine conservation areas and a national urban park.
Destination Canada, which promotes tourism in Canada, created Canada Refresh as part of its “Refresh Your View” campaign. The organization hopes to expand Americans’ familiarity with the abundant experiences available in the parks and the surrounding regions.
“We’re next-door neighbors — and we want to welcome back our American friends with access to places we know will lift their spirits and send them home with more than just a memory, with that good feeling you get after spending time at an old friends’ home,” Gloria Loree, senior vice president for marketing strategy and chief marketing officer of Destination Canada, said in a statement.
Americans aged 21 and older can visit canadarefresh.com by July 31 to enter to win a pass.
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