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Ah, Scandinavia. Between Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland, Scandinavia is widely considered to be the happiest place on earth. From friendly people to family-centered jobs to a general vibe of well-being, Scandinavian citizens are living the dream in five of the most pleasant countries on earth. While this level of happiness might sound difficult to obtain without acquiring some hefty travel bills, fear not: You can visit these incredible locations without paying a dime for travel expenses. These awesome companies are willing to foot the bill for your next vacation to a Scandinavian kingdom.
Volvo: Buy a car, kick it in Sweden
If you could travel all the way to Sweden for free to pick up a new car, why wouldn’t you hop on the opportunity? If you purchase a Volvo from any local dealership in your area, the cost of your car can include an incredible vacation package. Their overseas delivery vacation package includes two round-trip tickets to Sweden, a free ride to Clarion Hotel Post in Gothenburg, a one-night stay at this luxurious hotel, and delivery of your new car back to the United States. However, their hospitality doesn’t simply consist of a grabbing your new vehicle and speeding back home after a nice evening in Sweden. Instead, your two-day trip will include both free time to explore and a trip to Sweden’s Volvo factory, where you’ll get to have a meet-and-greet with your new car. There, you’ll be able to visit with Volvo factory staff who designed your car, ask questions about your vehicle, and tour behind-the-scenes at the factory to see just how your car was assembled. They’ll also pay for a gourmet lunch at their state-of-the-art restaurant on site. The best part? You get to take your brand new Volvo out onto the Swedish streets to test her out.
When you show up at the factory pick up your new Volvo, they don’t simply help you ship the vehicle back to the states and wave goodbye. They want to ensure that you enjoy your new car, giving you a chance to test the vehicle out before taking it back across the pond. Volvo supplies you with a temporary Swedish registration so you can test drive your Volvo around the gorgeous country with no limits, whether you take it through the precious, colorful towns or through the country hills that mark one of the most beautiful features of Sweden’s landscape. Two days spent in Sweden aren’t bad for a car purchase, huh? Even if you feel like the trip is too short for your liking, it’s both free and gives you the opportunity to adventure through some of Sweden’s most stunning areas. Plus, you’re going home with a new car, so it’s a win-win. If you want a more lengthy stay, you’re welcome to volunteer some of your own money for travel expenses to spend more time in Sweden. Whether you do or not, you still score two free days in an absolutely gorgeous country. If you’re an adventure-junkie who is in the market for a new car, consider looking into a Volvo!
Ikea: Why is Denmark so happy?
For the previous six years, Denmark has ranked amongst the top happiest countries on the World Happiness Report. Their lifestyle revolves around “hygge,” a concept of coziness and comfort that can range from snuggling with a family member to sharing dinner with friends to reading a good book alone in your room. While many people in countries outside of Scandinavia don’t get to directly experience this lifestyle up-close, IKEA wanted to try to evaluate what made this lifestyle so pleasant and happiness-inducing. They decided to give someone the opportunity to investigate the root of happiness in Denmark. The Swedish company advertised the chance to go spend two weeks in September of 2019 with the Danes to immerse themselves in the joyous setting and evaluate just why everyone who lives in Denmark is so darn happy. So, what was IKEA’s motive in sending a random customer to Denmark?
It wasn’t to advertise their brand. In fact, IKEA was as fascinated as the rest of the world seems to be about what makes lovely Denmark so joyous. The Communication Manager for IKEA Denmark, Lene Gaarde, shared that IKEA was on a mission to understand where Danes’ happiness came from, particularly regarding their home lives. The issue is that most Danish citizens can’t view what makes their lives so wonderful from an outside perspective, because happiness is all they’ve ever known! Wouldn’t we all like to have that problem? Fortunately, IKEA came up with the perfect solution: sending an outsider to Denmark to figure the secret formula for joy out for them. IKEA will generously be paying for the winner’s travel expenses. They’ll hook them up with free lodging, tours, magnificent meals, outings with locals, and more opportunities to explore Denmark. IKEA will also award them an average Danish salary for the two-week period that they are there for. Why give them salary on top of everything else? The winner will be a star in an IKEA documentary. While the winner adventures and lives it up in lovely Denmark, IKEA will follow the winner around with a camera crew, recording their adventures for a mini-documentary. All in all, this opportunity is going to make the lucky winner very, very happy. The deadline for applications has already passed, but something tells us that this won’t be the last time IKEA sends someone to the happiest place on earth.