Meagan McGuire, CDME, CHIA

Meagan McGuire is the Sr Vice President of Business Development for Explore Seattle Southside, the regional destination marketing organization for the cities of Des Moines, SeaTac, and Tukwila in Washington State. She leads an exceptional team that develops effective strategies to promote the destination to group leaders and meeting planners, ensuring business growth for Seattle Southside’s hospitality and tourism businesses. Prior to this role, Meagan assisted group leaders and meeting planners with tours and events for The Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.

With a Master of Arts degree in Anthropology from Washington State University and over 20 years’ experience in the tourism industry, Meagan approaches her work through a social science lens. From psychographics to storytelling, tourism marketing is best achieved through studying people and culture. Understanding travel and tourism, a significant component of what makes us human, is an anthropological pursuit.

In 2019, Meagan was accredited with a CDME (Certified Destination Management Executive) from Destinations International. In 2023, she was awarded a Smart Women in Meetings Visionary Award from Smart Meetings International.

When she’s not promoting Seattle Southside, she enjoys hiking with her family, kayaking, and exploring tide pools with her two boys.