I love freebies.  That includes swag at tradeshows, cosmetics samples, and gift certificates.  When Toyota was promoting their brand image, I was shopping for a new car.  I secretly hoped they’d give one away just to show good faith.  But they didn’t even extend a  discount on their vehicles.  One dealership offered me a whopping $250 off a $23,000 car.  Being the poor negotiator that I am, I left the dealership dejectedly.

Unlike the Toyota dealership I visited, the country of Japan is demonstrating a grand gesture of good faith.  With fears of radiation and earthquakes, tourism in Japan has suffered greatly.  In an attempt to revive global interest in Japanese tourism, the Japanese Tourism Agency is proposing a bold offer: 10,000 free roundtrip tickets to Japan.

As reported by ABC News, tourism in Japan has declined by 50% and the strong Japanese currency has further aggravated the situation.  A trip to Japan does not seem safe or economical to travelers.

In order to qualify to win one of the free roundtrip tickets, participants must be able and willing to publicize their trip through blogs and other means of social media.  Applicants must indicate why they would like to visit Japan, detail their travel plans, and what they wish to accomplish during this trip.  Subsequent to their trip, successful applicants would have to post a review of their trip online.  Winners of the contest would also be responsible for their accommodation and meals.

If approved, more than $1 billion yen will be used to sponsor this contest, and travel plans can be booked as early as next April.