Win a holiday - and see your story in print

The perfect place to beat writers block ...


Ever fancied yourself as a travel writer? Now’s your chance. We are launching our second annual Readers’ Summer Travel Writing Competition. We are inviting you to write a 500-word feature about your 2009 summer holiday. The piece should explain what made it special and what you enjoyed seeing and doing and also contain names and details of places, hotels/B&Bs/campsites/restaurants etc. Other than that you are free to write in the style of your choice.

There are five categories - UK; Family; Green/eco; Beach; Adventure - and you can only enter one story for one category. The five winning stories will be published in a special issue of Guardian Travel in September, along with the runners-up. The five best will also win a holiday. The judges will be looking for well-written, lively and entertaining stories that evoke a sense of place. Your feature must not have been published before in any other printed publication or website.

Entries should be emailed to: travel.writer@guardian.co.uk, specifying which category you are entering and giving contact details. The deadline is 4 September 2009.

For full terms and conditions click here.


The Prizes:

Green/eco category:
Three nights’ B&B for two at Kasbah du Toubkal, a spectacularly-located, eco-friendly lodge in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, (kasbahdutoubkal.com.) Royal Air Maroc (royalairmaroc.com) will provide a pair of return flights from Gatwick to Marrakech. The holiday must be taken before 30 June 2010 (excluding public and school holidays) and is subject to availability.

UK
A four-night walking holiday for two (sharing) in Northumberland, one of Inn Travel’s new UK tours. The prize includes four nights’ B&B, three picnics and transfers, but not transport to the start. The holiday must be taken on or before 28 October 2010 during available dates, inntravel.co.uk.

Adventure
A week's tour of Spain's “Moorish Trails” with adventure operator Explore. The trip involves a week of moderate walking on historic trails through vineyards and olive groves, and good food in a spectacular and little-visited corner of Andalucia. Includes flights from Gatwick, all accommodation, transport, some meals and the services of a tour leader and drivers. Departures Oct 2009 and March, April, May 2010, explore.co.uk/

Beach
Seven nights’ B&B for two at the five-star Santa Marina Resort & Villas in Mykonos, Greece, including flights and transfers with Cadogan Holidays. Valid for nine months from the close of the competition, subject to availabiltiy, cadoganholidays.com.

Family
A seven-night stay for a family of up to five at a siblu holiday park of your choice in France. The prize includes accommodation in a mobile home and Dover to Calais ferries. Must be taken between 17 April and 27 June, or 23 August to 26 September 2010, siblu.com

These companies are all members of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO), which has more than 140 members and offers 100% financially protectedholidays, aito.com.

For full terms and conditions click this link. If you enter the competition, this means you accept the competition terms and conditions (the rules of the competition). You should make sure you read these before you send us your entry.