Local Travel Agent, Susie McMahon
Susie McMahon is a local travel agent who owns Luxurious Journeys and Luxe Low Country Travel. She has 20 years of experience in the travel industry. Shortly after college, Susie worked in a small lodge in North Carolina, serving as a waitress then front desk clerk. She loved the hospitality industry and soon became involved in a management position for Stouffer’s (now Renaissance) in Denver.
Susie became familiar with all facets of the hotel businessand decided to stay in Colorado to later work for United Airlines and American Express business travel.
She was also an avid traveler and finally decided to become a booking agent for travel experiences. Susie especially loves to escort groups to unique getaways. She often takes groups to the South Carolina low country for tours and retreats. Suzie helps plan tripswith clients accordingto their likes and dislikes. She encourages “slow travel,” taking the time to immerse yourself in the cultureand food where you are visiting.
During and after the influences of COVID, Susie has seen a shift for many people to visit places in the United States that they have not seen before. She has seen many more visiting the Carolinas. Hawaii has also been a hot spot. The state of Hawaii began easing their restrictions in June to no longer require pretests and quarantines for those who have been vaccinated.
Outside of the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean, and the Bahamas worked hard and quickly to continue to allow for tourism, but to also keep the Covid cases down. The airlines, resorts, and countries had good entry requirements to meet the balance of health and travel. Susie said it is exciting to start to see more countries opening back up. Some countries, like Greece, needed to reopen due to the economic impact of suspended tourism.
Susie predicted that we will continue to see COVID testing in large airports when leaving the country for a long time. Officials may also require vaccine proof for certain itineraries. Passenger numbers leaving from the Denver Airport from 2019 to 2020 were cut in half. It will be interesting to see how the travel industry will continue to be impacted by the effects of the pandemic.