Married couple Paul Tay, 43, and Jacinta Lim, 35, will be heading to Zanzibar, Tanzania.

That is because they were picked from among more than 6,000 entries to win the coveted $13,000 prize in the last round of ST170 Treats, an initiative that The Straits Times has been holding since February to give treats to readers in celebration of its 170th anniversary.

The couple won economy flights sponsored by Qatar Airways and a five-night stay for two at The Residence Zanzibar, a 66-villa luxury spa resort, at its Luxury Ocean Front Pool Villa with a private pool at half board.

They can also kick back on a dhow cruise, relax in an hour of couple's massage and enjoy views of the sunset.

The couple found out about the sweepstake on Facebook.

Says Mr Tay, a regional director of an IT company: "I couldn't believe it. I kept waiting to hear a catch when The Straits Times called to notify me I had won. It was too good to be true when I got the news last week. We are definitely excited."

Adds Ms Lim, who works in cyber security: "I think the ST170 contest is a very good way for a leading newspaper like The Straits Times to give back and engage its readers."

Says Ms Liza Quddoos, 50, director of corporate communications at The Residence Zanzibar: "This collaboration works well for us and The Straits Times as it opens up the world to Singaporeans with destinations like Zanzibar, which is not a usual tourist spot.

"With a well-reputed and well-embraced paper like The Straits Times, we are honoured to collaborate on this level with a brand that has been an integral part of our country's history."

ST170 Treats drew around 190,000 entries throughout the year. Prizes included tickets to a Taylor Swift concert in London, trips for two to the Maldives and a $165,000 (excluding COE) Land Rover Discovery Sport, which was the top prize.