We have the winners of the Trafalgar Unlocked Awards 2024! After reading more than 4,000 incredible entries, we’ve chosen 15 lucky past guests who will head off on a winners’ trip to Costa Rica. Soon they’ll be spotting wildlife in ancient forests, meeting remarkable locals, hopping from volcanoes to beaches, and eating delicious cuisine. But first, let’s get to know our lucky winners and their inspiring stories.
Kristina Thomas
Kristina’s Trafalgar Unlocked Awards entry was about her moving Bellissimo Italy trip with her mum, after her dad passed away, and how they celebrated their dad’s life while being surrounded by the new friends they made on the trip.
She wrote in her entry, “We’ve made friends for life and appreciate the amount of love and life on that coach every day. We weren’t the only ones celebrating a life on this tour, and we all bonded over our shared experiences and love of travel. Thank you Trafalgar Travel for offering what was one of the best experiences for my mum after what has to be one of the worst. Bellissimo Italy allowed us to celebrate Dad’s life while enjoying being in an adventure, together.”
Preshanti Padayachee
Preshanti had always dreamed of visiting Italy and her entry was about realising this dream with Trafalgar on our Italian Holiday tour.
“I have so many fond memories, the people I met, the food I ate, the sights and experiences. It was the best feeling in the world, finally doing something for me. Thank you Trafalgar for this experience. It was one in a million and cannot wait for the next one.”
We got goosebumps when we broke the news of her win to Preshanti, with her saying “This is amazing! Oh my God! I’m literally seconds away from tearing up here. I’m fighting it!”
Kaitlin Slaney
Kaitlin’s entry was about her incredible Treasures of Ireland honeymoon trip with her husband, and their memorable royal experience organised as a honeymoon gift by their Travel Director.
She wrote, “We had so much fun! Especially my husband. He played the role of King of Lanister very well. He ate it up! We absolutely loved our trip to Ireland. We miss it everyday and we have every intention of going back. Our hearts will forever be in Ireland!”
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Dan George
Dan’s entry was about his Wonders of Ancient Egypt trip and the unforgettable experience of seeing the Sphinx in Giza.
He wrote, “Experiencing the majestic Sphinx in Giza alongside my newfound travel companions was an extraordinary and unforgettable moment. As we marveled at this ancient wonder, we were united by a shared sense of awe and wonder. The sheer magnitude of the Sphinx, coupled with the camaraderie of exploring with friends old and new, created a profound sense of connection and adventure that will forever hold a special place in our hearts.”
Dan was amazed with the news, telling Trafalgar, “You are kidding! Oh my God! I’ve never won anything. This is incredible!
Josephine Perna
Josephine traveled solo for the first time at the age of 54 on our Italian Holiday tour, visiting her ancestral home.
She shared, “My parents migrated here from Sicily and the 60s. Sicilian was my first language. I am 54 and have never been to Italy prior and it was always my dream. I’ve been divorced nine years and many people say that I shouldn’t travel alone. Last year I finally decided it was time for me to go to Italy and I got my passport and decided to go on my own. I’m thankful to Trafalgar for allowing me the opportunity to feel safe and a country when I was on my own, and meet amazing people that were on my tour, including Lino (her Travel Director), who was the best!”
Marguerite Kelly
Marguerite’s entry was about her special Treasures of Ireland trip with 11 of her family and friends, where she spread some of her sister’s and mum’s ashes.
She wrote, “Most importantly while visiting Blarney Castle I was able to locate a small waterfall where you could hear the bagpipes playing and I spread a tiny bit of my sister and my moms ashes . This was a journey of a lifetime and one I will never forget and I couldn’t have chosen a better tour group than Trafalgar.”
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Katherine McIntosh
Katherine fulfilled her lifelong dream to visit the Rockies on our Iconic Rockies and Western Canada trip. Incredibly, her trip roommate Sharene has become one of her dearest friends.
She wrote, “We all keep in touch via WhatsApp and Sharene and I regularly catch up and dream about our next trip together. Costa Rica was on the top of our list, then this competition came about. Some would say “it’s meant to be”. We both have our fingers crossed.”
When Trafalgar called to let her know she’d won the trip to Costa Rica, Katherine was in disbelief, saying “Oh my God, you’re going to make me cry. Are you kidding me!? Thank you, thank you…”
Rebecca Creek
Rebecca took her two oldest grandsons on our European Whirl trip – the same trip she had taken after graduating high school 56 years ago.
She shared, “We had a wonderful European Whirl, that truly opened their eyes to a different world view than they had previously, never having been outside the United States. It was a wonderful trip full of all sorts of discoveries for them as well as a reconnection for me, as my mother had gifted me the same itinerary upon my high school graduation from high school 56 years earlier!”
Daisy Jardinez
Daisy shared the story of her South America Trafalgar trip to celebrate her 34th wedding anniversary, and the joy of traveling as a couple and making memories you can look back on.
She wrote in her entry, “As we grow older, every wrinkle signifies a beautiful memory that we have shared together. The joy of traveling as a couple is about seeing places and sights for the first time and knowing you’ve done it togethe and creating memories that you can look back on for years to come, knowing you shared with each other.”
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Jessica Wright
Jessica shared the story of her incredible honeymoon on our Britain and Ireland Grandeur trip, and making fantastic new travel friends.
She shared, “We had the most laughs, sing-a-longs, and made some great friends. Our Travel Director was the best! So knowledgeable and fun. Loved her dress sense as well. It was truly the best experience we have ever had.”
Jessica was in total shock when Trafalgar called her, saying “Are you kidding?! Holy s***!!”
Dietmar Voss
Dietmar told the story of his Trafalgar trip to the USA’s national parks, and his memorable experience kayaking down the Snake River in Wyoming.
He shared, “There were so many highlights, but to us who love American history, floating down the Snake River in Wyoming and shouting echoes from the cliff-tops in Utah’s Canyonlands is hard to beat.”
Edrea Choa
Edrea hails from the Philippines, and she shared the lovely story of her Best of Portugal trip with her mum, which was their first trip together outside of Asia.
She wrote in her entry, “My mother just turned 67 years old this February, and is just beginning to check things off of her travel bucket list. I’m not sure how many more good years I have left with my mom. I’d love to be with her to complete them all, and I’d love to check off Costa Rica by sharing this trip with her as her late birthday gift.”
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Sharon Yu
Sharon’s entry was about her special family reunion on our Best of Egypt trip with her husband and their two sons, who they had not seen in person for over a year.
When Trafalgar called Sharon to let her know she was one of the winners, we asked her about her entry. Sharon said, “I just wrote from the heart about our experience, which was really unforgettable.”
Cheryl Matthew
Cheryl took a bucket list trip to Italy with her husband as part of our European Traveller tour, and shared a stunning video of their gondola ride through Venice.
She wrote, “This was a bucket list trip for my husband and I. The sightseeing and accommodations were great. Everything went smoothly and our Travel Director was awesome.”
Rosie Axford
Rosie’s entry shared how she was able to live out her dreams of visiting the Swiss countryside on our Best of Switzerland tour.
She wrote, “Seeing the beauty of Switzerland, the whole week was a bucket list and pinch me moment! Living out my childhood dreams of being Heidi and frolicking around in the beautiful Swiss countryside. This trip was such a bucket list moment, something I will never forget!”
We’ll be sharing more about our lucky Trafalgar Unlocked Awards winners in the weeks to come and stay tuned to see their upcoming adventure in Costa Rica!
You can also get inspired for a Costa Rica trip of your own with our Costa Rica Eco Adventure tour.