Sunday 22 October 2017

Vancouver Island local wins Ultimate Ambassador title and $10,000 travel prize

Combining his passion for filmmaking with his love of his hometown has proven a winner for Canadian Tyler Cave, 25, who showcased the rugged natural beauty and outdoor adventures that await visitors to Vancouver Island.

Following the previous success of the annual Ultimate Traveller video competition featuring globetrotting travel adventures, Cover-More, one of Australia’s leading providers of travel insurance and medical assistance, this year asked budding filmmakers to showcase their favourite home-grown travel stories with the Ultimate Ambassador video competition.

The win for Tyler, named Cover-More’s very first Ultimate Ambassador, comes during a big year of celebrations in Canada which is marking 150 years since confederation.

Tyler won a $10,000 travel prize and a GoPro with his entry Backyard Paradise
which you can view here.

Winner of the people’s choice award and a $1,000 travel voucher was Alexandra Franco, 22, from Brisbane with her video Queensland - which you can view here.

After graduating from criminology, Tyler discovered his passion for filmmaking and storytelling which has lead him on adventures around the world but nothing quite compares to the inspiration he feels exploring his own backyard.

Taking viewers on an epic outdoor adventure with backdrops of cascading waterfalls to stunning glaciers, awe-inspiring encounters with wildlife including whales and bears, Tyler truly embodies the spirit of Ultimate Ambassador showing and it’s easy to see why he’s proud to call Vancouver Island home.

On hearing he had won the competition and a $10,000 travel prize, Tyler said he was “stoked!”

“Winning the Ultimate Ambassador means a lot! Over the last few years I have travelled to many countries and had the most amazing experiences that I would not trade for anything, but this past year I have been exploring and filming in my own backyard. Canada is a film maker’s paradise. Vancouver Island is just a slice of what this amazing country has to offer.”

“Being an ‘Ultimate Ambassador’ to me means exploring areas you already know and love and showcasing these to others and inspire them to travel. I wanted to show the world that Vancouver Island is a beautiful location, but no matter where you live in the world, there is always an adventure to be had in your own backyard.

“Winning this travel prize from Cover-More will allow me to explore areas I haven’t been able to. I will most likely go to Central America, and a trip to Iceland with my brother. I never plan too far ahead, no plans are always the best plans.”

The top finalists in this year’s competition were:
Magic Mexico - Abril Hernandez, Mexico
Life Living - Mikel Boisset Gonzalez, Spain
Spirit Mexico - Daniel Magana, Mexico
Travel in Your Own Backyard - Jessica Valentine, Australia

All entrants had to do this year to be in the running to win was to create and submit a two minute video of them being a great ambassador, enjoying some kind of adventure as a ‘Selfie Traveller’ in the place they call home.

This year’s winner, Tyler, who has entered Cover-More’s competition every year since it began in 2015, has some simple advice to anyone who is thinking of trying their hand at creating a video for next year’s competition.

“I would say, just be yourself. Enjoy what you are doing and be proud of what you are showing. With all the high quality cameras that are out there now, it’s getting easier to make beautiful videos. What I believe makes your video stand out is making it your own and telling a story,” he said.

Cover-More’s Glenn Broadhurst said: “It’s always great to see how this video competition continues to unearth talented and inspiring people who love travel and sharing their stories with others, and this year is no exception.

“With travel more accessible than ever and having the world at your feet, sometimes it’s easy to forget the treasures in your own backyard. What made this year’s competition even more special was seeing the hometown pride and local knowledge that every entry shared, they all showed the true spirit of being an Ultimate Ambassador.”

Since it first began in 2015, Cover-More’s annual video competition has received entries from more than 21 countries including Japan, South Africa, Philippines, China, Canada, Germany, France, USA, Poland, Australia, England, Wales, Argentina, Mexico, Spain, Sweden, Ireland, India, Malaysia, Netherlands and Bahrain.

See all entries here: www.ultimatetravelcompetition.com

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