Joanne McDonald

Hi

I’m Joanne and I live in the small town of Leyland in Lancashire.

My love of travel started when I was a child. I was lucky enough to grow up in a family who truly valued holidays, making sure we had a beach getaway each year. I still remember the excitement of the early get up, being rushed out of the door, driving down the motorway, checking in our luggage, boarding the plane and then just a few hours later stepping off into the sunshine. It felt like two whole weeks stretched out forever! Even now, travel day is still my favourite part.

Over the years, we explored several Greek islands, Cyprus then one year – Orlando. We were completely converted and that led to four more trips to Florida along with one unforgettable year exploring California.

As my sister and I grew up, we continued those annual holidays with our parents and we still do to this day, now along with husbands and children joining in the fun. We’ve been lucky enough to visit some incredible places together including Cuba, Dominican Republic, Barbados, Dubai and Morocco to name just a few.

My passion for travel naturally led me to my first job after college as a travel agent with Thomas Cook. I spent 6 amazing years before relocating and trying something new in weddings and events – another role I absolutely loved.

I’ve always wanted my children to experience the same joy of travel that I had growing up, and we’ve shared some wonderful adventures together- from Spain and Portugal to Sorrento and Mexico, and more recently as they’ve grown older, destinations like The Gambia and Goa. My daughter has definitely caught the travel bug and at 21, I’m now struggling to keep up with her adventures!

While raising my family, I continue working in sales but there was always a nagging feeling pulling me back towards travel. It was an itch I simply couldn’t ignore.

So here I am, finally scratching that itch and returning to my roots as a travel agent.

Designer Travel is a brand I’ve personally trusted for my own holidays and I love their approach – having a dedicated travel expert who is there for you every step and available 24/7. I’m incredibly proud to now be part of this team and excited to offer that same level of personal service to my own clients.

Thank you for reading about me and my experiences and I look forward to hearing about yours and helping you to plan your next getaway.

Love Joanne x