Gov. Newsom unveils ‘California Dream Vacations’ vaccine incentive

California will give away travel packages for vacation destinations in the state as another incentive to get more people vaccinated against COVID-19. Ahead of California’s Tuesday reopening, Gov. Gavin Newsom stopped in San Francisco on Monday to promote a new vaccine incentive called “California Dream Vacations.” Done in partnership with Visit California, the governor’s office said the latest incentive is part of the “Vax for the Win” program that includes cash prizes for Californians who get inoculated with one of the coronavirus vaccines. The Dream Vacations program comprises six vacation packages for various destinations in Southern California as well as San Francisco. Californians selected in the drawing, which will be held July 1, will also receive $2,000 to offset travel expenses.To be eligible, you must be 18 years old or older and be at least partially vaccinated. The six different vacation packages are:Discover the Best of Anaheim package for fourGreater Palm Springs Luxury package for twoPremium Los Angeles Experience for fourSan Diego Beach Dream Vacation for fourSan Diego Downtown Dream Vacation for fourSan Francisco “Our Gate Is Open” Welcome Package for fourSimilar to the Vax for the Win cash prize drawings, winners of the vacation packages will be randomly selected from the pool of eligible Californians. Winners will have to complete their vaccinations in order to claim their vacation package.Newsom said that various “hospitality partners” are helping offset the cost of the packages.In announcing the vacation vaccine incentive, Newsom and other leaders spoke about how the tourism industry was hit hard by the pandemic. At the height of COVID-19, California lost nearly half the 1.2 million jobs in the hospitality and tourism industries, according to the governor’s office.”One of the key issues for us to get California back on track and shorten this recovery curve is to encourage Californians to travel in California,” Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California, said at the news conference. “It’s like a modern-day act of patriotism.”On Tuesday, California will no longer require social distancing and will allow full capacity for businesses. The state’s long-standing county tier system that determines restrictions is also going away, as is the indoor mask mandate. However, there are some caveats.| MORE | What you need to know about California’s June 15 reopening: Masks, travel and moreAt Monday’s news conference, Newsom was asked about methods to verify Californians’ vaccination status. He said that the state will this week announce a way for residents to have an electronic version of their vaccination card.”It’s not a passport. It’s not a requirement. It’s just the ability now to have an electronic version of that paper version,” he said.