The 15th Operation Vetrepreneur contest will give three military veterans a free travel agency franchise, extending Dream Vacations’ long-running business-ownership programme.
Dream Vacations is accepting entries for the 15th annual Operation Vetrepreneur contest, which will award three military veterans a free travel agency franchise. The programme, announced on July 1, 2026, is framed around the 250th anniversary of the United States and the connection between military service, independence and business ownership. For the travel franchisor, the initiative places veteran entrepreneurship at the centre of a seasonal campaign while continuing a programme that has supported transitions into civilian business ownership.
Operation Vetrepreneur has awarded 65 franchises to veterans since it launched in 2012, according to the release. The 2026 contest is open to former members of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Marine Corps, Space Force and Coast Guard who meet the stated residency, age and service requirements. The official rules specify that entries began at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on July 1, 2026, and close at 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 31, 2026.
Applicants must complete an online entry form, schedule an introductory call with a Franchise Development Manager, and submit a candidate profile, business plan and video. Finalists will take part in two rounds of phone interviews before the winners are selected. Alongside the free franchise, each winner will receive a ticket to Land Summit 2027, which the company describes as a training and networking event for entrepreneurs. The franchise package includes training, marketing tools and ongoing support for launching and growing a home-based travel business.
The contest sits within a broader set of veteran-focused franchise benefits. Dream Vacations says military veterans and Gold Star families can purchase a franchise at a 30 percent discount, receive an enlistment package valued at no less than $5,000 and have administrative fees waived, with a stated value of $1,800. The company also lists veteran-specific training and marketing assets, waived training fees for a business partner, discounted opportunities to hire military spouses and veterans as associates, relocation flexibility and access to veteran networking groups.
Dream Vacations’ approach combines a competition for selected applicants with a continuing commercial offer for veterans and Gold Star families who choose to become franchise owners. The release says the brand has received a five-star ranking from the International Franchise Association’s VetFran initiative and has ranked first or second among 150 franchises in Entrepreneur magazine’s franchise ranking for veterans since 2017. With the 2026 entry period ending on August 31, the programme’s next stage will be the selection of winners and their participation in the franchisor’s planned 2027 training event.
