Sunset Travel Awards: FAQs

Why is Sunset offering the Sunset Travel Awards program? Sunset has been the authority on Western travel since its inception in 1898 as a promotional magazine for the Southern Pacific Railroad to attract tourists and would-be land buyers to the American West. In more recent years, our readers have repeatedly asked for a program such as this one to spotlight the very best travel experiences in our footprint. How much does it cost to enter? The registration fee for paid categories is $400 for the first category and $75 for each additional category entered. To qualify for the discount, the subsequent entries must all pertain to the same physical location. (For example, a chain of hotels may not receive the discount for entering multiple properties operating under the same brand name.) Registration fees will not be refunded under any circumstance, including voluntary withdrawal from the competition. When is the entry period? Entries will be accepted at sunset.com/travelawards beginning October 5, 2015. We have extended entry acceptance through Friday, January 29th, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time. Late entries will not be accepted. My business/town is located outside the West. Can I still enter? No. Sunset and sunset.com focus exclusively on the 13 Western states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming), plus British Columbia, Canada.  Entries for towns or businesses operating outside these regions will not be eligible. Can I pay by check, money order, or PayPal? Unfortunately, we can only accept credit card payment (Visa, Mastercard, and American Express) at this time. We hope to add additional payment options to next year’s competition. Do I need to send pictures with my entry? Yes, a minimum of one photo is a required component of your entry, and you may submit up to five. The maximum file size per photo is 5MB, and they must be .jpg format. How long should my entry essay be? What should it include? This year, we’ve given each category 11 writing prompts—questions whose answers will help us find our finalists and winners.  Please keep each of your responses to 300 words or less. Entry questions will be available at sunset.com/travelawards starting October 5, 2015. Can I mail my entry information or payment? No. Only entries and payments submitted through the form at sunset.com/travelawards will be considered. When will finalists and winners be announced? Finalists will be announced in March 2016. Winners will be announced in late July, when the August issue of Sunset lands in mailboxes.  What is the prize? Winners will be featured in the August 2016 issue of Sunset magazine as well as on sunset.com and on Sunset’s social media pages. All finalists will be featured on sunset.com/travelawards from the time of announcement until we open for entries again in late 2016. An official Sunset Travel Awards winner tool kit with digital icon will be sent to all winners for use on their own promotional materials. Can I modify my entry after it has been submitted? No. Once an entry has been submitted, it may not be edited. Please take care to review your entry information before submitting. What are the Sunset Travel Awards categories? Best Adventure Town Best Beach Town Best Bed & Breakfast Best Desert Hotel/Resort Best Food Town Best Girlfriends Getaway Destination/Spa Best Hotel/Resort for Families Best Hotel/Resort for Pets Best Hotel/Resort Restaurant Best Island Destination Best Luxury Camping Best Microbrewery or Distillery Best Mountain Hotel/Resort Best Outdoor Music Venue Best Shopping Destination/Street/Center Best Tasting Room or Vineyard Experience Best Train Experience Best Waterfront Hotel/Resort Best Wine Country Hotel/Resort Best Wine Country Town Can I submit my business to more than one category? Yes! You may submit your business or town in as many categories as you like.  Registration for the first category is $400, while subsequent entries for the same location are $75 each.  I have a question that wasn’t answered here. Do you have a contact email address for the Sunset Travel Awards? Yes. Please email TravelAwards@sunset.com with any additional questions.