It was 1991 and I  had just moved to Salt Lake City, Utah after completing my first year at Utah State University.   I was looking for a job when I saw the ad for a receptionist position at Western Leisure, a tour and travel company.  It was that day in May that changed the course of my career forever.   They say travel gets in your blood and did it ever!  At Western Leisure, an entire new world opened up to this naive 19 year old from Preston, Idaho.  

Within a few years, I was promoted to operations and worked with inbound travelers from Europe and Asia, arranging their national park and ski vacations.   I also had the opportunity to work on group tours and conventions in Salt Lake City.

In 1995, my life changed courses and I left the snow-capped Wasatch mountains for sunny St. George, Utah.  Luckily, I found another job in travel, working for a student tour operator.  I sent students and performing groups all over the world, with my largest group consisting of 350 passengers.  A few years later, I decided to change directions and work for a large travel agency.   In 2009, I knew there was a better way to take care of my clients and decided to open my own agency,  The Travel Connection.  

Opening an agency also opened doors to many opportunities which included writing a travel column for our local newspaper, The Spectrum.  In addition, I write for  two other magazines, St. George Health and Wellness and View on Mesquite.   I also host a live radio segment with Canyon Media every Tuesday called Travel Tuesday.   

2016 marks my 25th year in travel and I can't imagine doing anything else with my life.  I love helping my clients create memories that last a lifetime. My clients also become my friends and I treat their vacation like it is my own. Customer relationships are very important to me.

I have been blessed to travel to some amazing places around the world and I can't wait to go on my next adventure.  

Review From Lori Burgess

Rhone River Cruise, July 2014 on the Uniworld SS C

For us it’s all about family & memories. Booking the trip just takes the fun out of traveling. I feel so lucky to have found Celece to take over this process. We just got back from Universal Studios and a 7 day Disney Cruise. Shuttles, rooms, park tickets, cruise adventures, sightseeing stops on our way back to the airport. Traveling with 6 adults & 5 kids is not easy, but we didn’t have to worry about anything.