success was the relationships Dixon and his colleagues already enjoyed with hoteliers. These ties formed the foundations of the new business, plus new contracts, even prompting the Corinthia hotel group in Malta to invest. The hotel’s been a shareholder for 28 years. To get the business off the


ground, they bought three-branch travel agency Atkins Travel. “We wanted something with an income to keep us going,” says Dixon, who focused on establishing a programme to Malta, the Canaries and Madeira.


Exciting times


Trading started on January 9, 1989, and by the spring Prestige’s first rocures ere out n te first year, te coany sold  olidays t as ecitin ut tere were times when my wife Cheri, who worked in the business, also ored te ole eeend  dont think we even slept!” jokes Dixon. Nevertheless, the trade had to be persuaded that the new boy on the block was worth a go. He admits: “That was the


difficult it, iressin on aents we were a solid, experienced group of people who were really Cadogan under another name.” The focus was on growing the


operator’s destination portfolio, which it did, adding Bermuda  a ala, aorca  te sles of cilly and te talian laes  e tins aency, eanile, as sold in  e ost sinificant ilestone


cae in , en anada as introduced ion reeers  ad a one call fro an aent d known a long time. He introduced me to Denise Hunn, who had lived in Canada for 12 years and ran another Canada programme.


itin  inutes of eetin er, y ife and  nodded at eac oter es run our anada programme ever since. “Canada was way off what we’d


done before and a substantial investment – but the best single decision e ade Prestige’s Canada team now comprises 11 staff and the destination accounts for around  of te oerators rorae ales to anada for te year to ctoer  are u  coared it  urrently, anada sales are  u for  Expansion by means of hiring


experienced staff became a cornerstone of the business. Next as roatia, in , after ion met destination expert Julia Berg. t is no resties iest sinle destination. “My role is to see an opportunity and grab it. Croatia was not on my list,” Dixon says. Other new destinations have included icily and ontenero, in , and uerteentura tis year o,  years on fro te start,


restie eloys around  staff in the UK and overseas, and has a turnoer of around  illion


Old-fashioned values


Dixon puts its long-term success down to a sensible business approach. “We’ve never borrowed extensively, and there’s never been a row of BMWs in the car park,” e says n te ood years rofits have gone into the reserves. And we are still very old fashioned.” The initial years were about


survival, but the priority now is futureroofin e ae to loo at what is under pressure, and keep our house going,” he says. While the business began life as


a luxury operator, Dixon now calls it a specialist, boasting in-depth


We’ve never borrowed extensively, and there’s never been a row of BMWs in the car park. In the good years, profits have gone into the reserves. And we are still very old-fashioned


destination knowledge and a range of product, some of it three-star. e secialist ta fits neatly it


its increasing number of historical and cultural tours, escorted by university professors, experts and TV presenters such as Martin Bell, Jon taleton and le olii t is a sector restie as


earmarked for growth but, with so many operators competing, Dixon admits it has its work cut out. “We ae soetin lie  deartures this coming year in our escorted tours rorae   ust is agents would give us a try.”


Still growing


or , to ar  years, restie is expanding again, this time with a tailor-made programme to Australia and New Zealand. As before, the decision followed a meeting with Australian expert Andrew Chapman, former marketing director at Austravel, and David Wickers, travel writer and cofounder of  Holidays, ot external consultants to Prestige. Given Europe has become a


tough sell, Dixon believes the move makes sense. “Europe is becoming harder to sell because of high hotel rates and greedy hoteliers in the Canaries over recent years,” he says, having not ruled out other new destinations. The trade remains hugely important, he says, although aent sales no account for  of sales, don fro  en Prestige started. To mark its anniversary, and


to thank agents and suppliers for their support, Prestige will host a arty for  eole at ondons Corinthia Hotel in March. or ion it ill also e a tie


to tae stoc t  e reains hands-on, although he allows iself a ore fleile orlife alance  roud of at ee achieved,” he says. “Also the fact that we have lasted as long as we have, and staff have stayed with us for a long time.” There’s certainly no chance


Dixon will rest on his laurels.  Prestige adds Australia and


New Zealand, page 24 20 December 2018travelweekly.co.uk13


WITH JOHN DIXON


1. Where are you from? I’m a Shropshire lad with a hint of Welsh.


2. The last book you read? I’ve just re-read John Le Carré’s The Little Drummer Girl. It was much better than the TV series!


3. Favourite holiday destination? I love going on safari to southern Africa, but next year we are heading to South America.


4. What do you enjoy doing while on holiday? My wife and I walk and read a lot, and try to meet as many locals as possible.


5. Any hobbies? I’m not good at hobbies, but classical music, jazz and reading just about qualify.


6. What has been your best experience working in travel? Making Prestige Holidays the great company it is.


7. Which one thing about the industry would you change? I’d like fewer ‘grey’ people and more colourful entrepreneurs who make this industry great.


8. What inspired you to work in travel? A girl I fancied worked in a travel agency – that’s the truth!


9. Which three people in travel would you invite to dinner? The voice of reason Noel Josephides; Carolyn Lodge, because she’s huge fun; and my wife Cheri, a great cook.


10. Which three people not in travel would you invite? Radio 4’s John Humphrys, Ken Clarke MP and Martin Bell, who leads many tours for us so superbly.


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