Monmouth County Resident Celebrates 10 Years Planning Vacations
MARLBORO, NJ — Morganville resident Dalorady Jegou has always loved to travel.
Jegou, 47, said vacations have always been a “big thing” for her and her family. When the last of her kids went off to school, she found herself at a crossroads trying to figure out what to do with the new time on her hands.
As she was scrolling through Facebook, Jegou said she found an ad for Whimsical Destinations, a travel planning company that helps clients plan vacations to places around the world.
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On a whim, Jegou reached out and began her work as a travel planner. Flash forward to 2024, and Jegou is celebrating a decade of planning vacations.
“I love travel — it’s something I’ve been doing since I was a child,” Jegou said. “My parents took us to Disney every year…I feel like I’ve been there at least 100 times.”
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In her work as a travel planner, Jegou helps families and clients find where they want to go, what they want to do, and how they’re going to get there.
Though places like Disney World and Universal Studios are known for being vacation hotspots, Jegou said she knows they’re not for everyone, and tries to find the best fit in travel destination for each of her clients.
“A lot of people just want to sit on a beach and do nothing on vacation,” Jegou said. “So first we find out where your mind wants to go, then we look for a budget, and then I give you some options.”
As a travel planner, Jegou works with a variety of companies such as Disney, Sandals, and cruise lines like Royal Caribbean. If big vacations aren’t your thing, Jegou said smaller destinations like the National Parks are open for planning as well.
“I do all the research, all the legwork, and then I present the plans to my client,” Jegou said. “Normally I’m ready to present within 24-48 hours, but sometimes I’ll send stuff after the presentation that I think could be a nice option as well.”
As a Morganville resident, Jegou said she’s developed close ties with clients throughout Monmouth County in her decade of experience.
Even before starting work as a travel planner, Jegou said her community involvement over the years has made it easier to connect with local clients.
Time spent working as a school lunch aid, teaching CCD, and coaching her daughter’s softball team has helped her become closer to the community.
“I’ve lived here a long time, you know?” Jegou said. “I’ve lived in this area my whole life and been part of lots of different groups in the community. So I have a very strong community base.”
Alongside connecting with the local community, Jegou said the best part of her work is living vicariously through her clients and helping local residents plan the vacation of their dreams.
“I love when people go and come back, and they’re like, ‘We had the best time ever,’” Jegou said. “For me, that makes it all worth it. I love it when people send me pictures or tell me what they did on the trip…I like making people happy.”
To learn more about Whimsical Destinations, you can visit their website.
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