If you’re going to SteemFest and can cover your expenses alone, DO NOT apply

That's a good point. At Steemfest 2, I was surprised to see many people sign up for the travel fund apparently without thinking whether they really needed it - while the conference itself was already generously subsidized by sponsors and donors. I can't look into people's hearts, or their wallets outside of Steem, but if you live in Western Europe and have a full-time job, you should be able to pay for your own travel.