Travel certificates are nothing but certificates, vouchers, or coupons offered by travel companies to attract customers during the slack tourist season. If you look at a typical travel certificate, you'll understand that it usually bears the name of the company which has issued it, along with your name, and the value of the certificate. Moreover, it also contains a certificate number along with a date of expiry. You need to use this certificate within the period mentioned. With the kind of competition in the travel industry, companies are trying their best to lure as many customers are possible. Besides looking for new customers, retaining old ones has become important for them. And this is why they provide travel vouchers, so that they can gain as many customers as possible. These certificates are provided at a discounted rate, so as to make it affordable for you to visit places of your choice. Due to the discount offered, several organizations offer gift certificates to their star performers as a means to appreciate their efforts. Even people like you and me can choose to gift travel certificates to our near ones. Promotional Travel Certificates While looking for free travel certificates, it's important that you understand how the travel industry works, and why such promotional offers are made. The airlines and hotel chains control a major portion of the travel industry. From the travel industry's point of view, there are two seasons―the peak tourist season and the slack tourist season. Peak season is that time of the year when people go on a vacation, while the slack season is that time of the year when people don't vacation much. It's during the slack that travel companies use these certificates to tempt as many customers as possible to visit different places. The aim is to attract as many customers as possible, so that their profit margin does not reduce significantly, and you get the advantage of visiting a particular place at a discounted rate. Such a scheme is particularly advantageous for companies who deal with ferrying passengers from one place to the other, especially the airlines. The scheme may not be directly advantageous for the hotels, as they may lose money by providing discounted accommodation. But it can definitely serve as a good marketing tactic. If you are satisfied with the services offered by the hotel, the word spreads, and the hotel chain achieves publicity. And that's what they want. Their aim is not only to try earning as much revenue as possible during the slack season, but also market their services through you. Travel Gift Certificates Usually, top companies in the travel industry, whether airlines or hotel chains, work together to formulate plans for distribution of travel certificates. Once you have the certificates, you need to redeem them at the outlets specified. Often, there's a redemption fee that you are required to pay. If you have to visit a certain place quite frequently, this can be a good option which you can use. If you opt to get travel gift vouchers from a particular company every time you have to travel to a different place, you are awarded some points. Once you have accumulated a particular number of points, you would be offered a discount on your next trip. If you are an employer, then you can buy such certificates in bulk and distribute them among your key employees, or use them for employees who have touring as a part of their job. Getting a travel certificate can be a win-win situation for both you and the travel companies, and at the same time, is beneficial for players in the travel industry as a means to promote their products and services.