Prestige Travel pledges closer ties with agents after profits surge

The operator declined to reveal exact figures but managing director Lee Hamilton said: “We are forecasting an end of financial year (1 November 2021 – 31 October 2022) profit increase of 149% against the financial year 2018, which was one of our most profitable years to date.”

Prestige said the “surge” in income was “attributed largely to ongoing agent partner commitment”, with the trade accounting for 96% of bookings.

Following this, Prestige has surveyed more than 100 agencies to ask how their working relationship could be better. Among them was a requirement for favourable rates, specialist destination knowledge and easy to use technology.

Prestige is developing a new mobile app, which it said would boost effectiveness of its support and sales team and enhance booking capabilities and customers’ travel experience. A new software platform will enable Prestige to send late offers direct to its 230-strong agent partner websites. The software will also allow automatic creation of marketing assets agents can use in their shop or on social media.

Hamilton said: “Achieving a record year of profits is a testament to the team’s dedication and commitment to providing an outstanding service, alongside 100% price parity. 

"Moving forward, we will remain wholly focused on our company mission: to be the travel agent’s preferred premium travel service in our specialist destinations. 

“We will continue to prioritise our relationships with our travel agent partners, offering attractive commission rates, exciting incentives, supporting them with their marketing and implementing new technology solutions to enhance our personalised and supportive service.”

Prestige plans several personnel changes in 2023 as it prepares to launch more long-haul destinations.

A new commercial director will be recruited, while Lorna Curry will form a new Australia and New Zealand ambassador role to build relationships with agencies, attend trade shows and arrange familiarisation trips. Denise Hunn will be in the same ambassador role for Canada.