TORONTO — Remember North Carolina’s bid to find its first-ever Dog Travel Agent? After a two-month search, it’s found the perfect puppy candidate – a Charlotte-based, All-American, rescue dog named Mo.
Bringing with her nearly 40 dog years of experience in the field, Mo has been travelling ever since she found her forever home. On her first trip, she hiked amid the craggy peaks at Crowders Mountain State Park in Kings Mountain, thus sparking her passion for travel.
Now joining the Visit North Carolina team in the newly created position of Dog Travel Agent, Mo will deliver firsthand reports on DogTravelAgent.com where travellers can read up on trip ideas using an adventure generator.
Her first official work trip will be to the Crystal Coast where she’ll be tasked with posting travel content on Visit NC’s Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Youtube accounts.
On joining the Visit NC team, Mo said: “Hi frens! It feels heckin amazin to be North Carolina’s first Dog Travel Agent. Me + my frens will flush out tippy tappin ideas for doggos just like us. I’m so happ I feel a zoomi comin on – do you?”
Visit NC launched the search for its Dog Travel Agent on Aug. 26, National Dog Day. Mo was selected after a review of videos and written applications from more than 500 candidates.
The search was designed to highlight the many places in North Carolina for dogs and their humans to travel to together. According to The American Pet Products Association’s 2019-2020 National Pet Owners Survey, 45% of dog owners take their pet with them when they are away from home for at least two nights. For millennials, this number is even higher at 52%, according to Skift.
“Nearly half of all dog owners now travel with their pets, and Mo will be an effective resource for finding the most welcoming hotels, campgrounds, parks and trails, breweries, restaurants, bakeries and other places that cater to tail-waggers,” said Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit North Carolina. “Our goal is to make North Carolina the first place that comes to mind for travel with dogs, and we’re confident Mo is the key to making this happen.”
