Have you ever booked an idyllic beachfront vacation, only to wind up trapped in an undiscovered quicksand pit? Wrecked your rental car after a rogue pelican leaves a sudden "deposit" on the windshield? Had a rickshaw excursion halted abruptly after the driver suddenly contracts athlete's foot?

Throughout 2010, travel insurer Travel Guard will span the U.S. and Canada in search of the "World's Unluckiest Traveler" - the vacationer who has survived a true-life tale of unintentional travel adventure and has the scars to prove it.

If you have ever experienced a one-of-a-kind travel travail, been the victim of a startling vacation mishap, or simply been an unwilling participant in a downright strange occurrence during your travels, Travel Guard wants to hear your story. Consumers who share their travel tales in this special promotion will be automatically entered into a year-long contest and drawing for great prizes, including a $10,000 dream vacation. The winner will be determined by popular vote, and in addition, one randomly selected person who votes for the winning entry will also win a dream vacation prize.

Dan McGinnity, Vice President of Travel Guard said that ‘The World's Unluckiest Traveler' promotion takes a whimsical look at the very real problems travelers face daily, emphasizing that preparation is the best remedy for unanticipated travel difficulties.

Travelers can tell Travel Guard their stories by logging onto www.travelguard.com and uploading a video - or a series of photos - in which the traveler relates his or her travel tale.