Nickson Travel

22/05/2026

19/05/2026

Slightly embarrassing fangirl moment in the final slide - but if it helps me persuade you that you need to get to Chicago, I regret nothing! 🙀

I have visited more times than I can count. I wrote my dissertation on its architecture. I have friends who call it home - including my brilliant Chicago insider Lesley, who has been showing me round for decades. I genuinely don’t think there’s a UK travel agent who knows this city better than I do, and every single time I’ve sent someone there, it has become their favourite city in America.

Here are a few photos from over the years - since the digital age, anyway. There are plenty more on film, which I’ll save for another time! You’ll spot a Chicago hot dog in one of the pics - do you know how it differs from a New York dog? Let me know in the comments to win bragging rights…

Now I have a new reason to visit, as if I needed one. The Obama Presidential Center opens on 19th June, and it looks extraordinary. But Chicago has always been extraordinary - the city that rebuilt itself from the Great Fire of 1871 and gave the world the skyscraper. World-class food, music, architecture and culture, and a lakefront that stops you in your tracks every single time.

It’s also one of the greatest film cities on the planet; Blues Brothers, Ferris Bueller, The Dark Knight. You’ll also spot me and Lesley at Medieval Times - if you get the reference here you’re my kinda film fan! And, well... slide to the end and see a pretty famous set for yourself. 🎄

Until the end of May I have £100 off any Chicago itinerary as part of my independence launch offers. Whether it’s a standalone city break built around the Presidential Center opening, a wider US trip with Chicago as the centrepiece, or something completely bespoke - I’d love to build it with you.

If Chicago is on your radar, I’m your agent. Just drop me a message.

Check out for more inspo!

17/05/2026

Bulgaria just made history at last night. And honestly? It’s about time the world turned its attention there.

said her winning song Bangaranga was inspired by the kukeri - ancient Bulgarian ritual dancers who wear extraordinary handmade costumes and masks to ward off evil spirits. I watched a short documentary about the tradition this week and I found it genuinely fascinating. That kind of living folklore is rare.

This is a country with Roman ruins, medieval monasteries, Ottoman bazaars and a capital city - Sofia - that wears 7,000 years of history on its sleeve. It’s cultured, complex and completely underrated.

Next year Bulgaria hosts Eurovision. Which means the spotlight is about to get a lot brighter.

If you’ve ever been curious about Eastern Europe beyond the obvious, now is a brilliant time to start planning.

I’d love to help you get there before everyone else does.
📩 www.nicksontravel.co.uk

15/05/2026

A joint with one of my preferred touring partners this week!

14/05/2026

I’m giving something away - and relaunching something I should have done a long time ago!

If you’ve been on my mailing list for a while, you’ll know I’m not always the most consistent at sending things out (running a travel business is hard work you know! 😆). But, as part of going fully independent this year, I’m striving to be more so - and this is me putting that into action.

From the end of this month, my mailing list gets a proper new format. Every month (give or take!) you’ll get a personal note from me, travel news worth knowing about, and handpicked special offers I think are genuinely worth your attention.

To celebrate the relaunch, I’m giving away a Posy x Nickson Travel Travel Right Kit to one lucky person who signs up - or who is already signed up - before the first one comes out near the end of May.

The kit is a collaboration between me and PosyLondon - a brilliant eco-conscious skincare brand based right here in West Berkshire. Plastic-free, travel-sized, and genuinely one of my favourite things to pack - it’s been to the Galápagos, Svalbard, Tahiti, Sweden and beyond. Everything you need to feel properly looked after on the road, with none of the guilt.

To enter, simply sign up to my mailing list:
https://tinyurl.com/NicksonTravelMailingList

Already signed up? You’re already in.

I’ll be announcing the winner in my first newsletter - could it be you?!

12/05/2026

The place where Darwin was inspired to write On the Origin of Species was always going to be on my bucket list, and it seems appropriate to talk about it again around David Attenborough’s special birthday!

When invited me to experience their ‘In Darwin’s Footsteps’ itinerary, I may have jumped up and down. More than once.

And it delivered. From the moment we landed on Baltra Island and were greeted by iguanas, lizards and finches before we’d even reached the terminal building, I was completely hooked.

This very much felt like a safari at sea. Up to four activities a day, snorkelling with sea lions and rays, walking trails shared with marine iguanas who had absolutely no interest in moving for us, and evenings watching the sun go down from the deck with a cocktail. I didn’t want to waste a single moment of it.

What makes the difference in the Galápagos is how you go. An expedition ship gives you access and intimacy that a larger vessel simply can’t offer. You’re closer to the wildlife, more flexible, and surrounded by people who are genuinely there for the right reasons.

Scroll through to see some of my photos from the trip - chosen from over 1,000!

As part of my independence launch, I have £200 off any itinerary including an expedition cruise for bookings confirmed in May.

If the Galápagos has been on your list for a while, let’s talk. 🐢

11/05/2026

I am thrilled to announce my membership of a new movement launched today. The Responsible Travel Advisor Collective (RTAC) brings together UK-based travel advisors who believe travel must become a force for good.

Travel advisors influence billions in travel sales every year, yet our voices have too often been left out of the sustainability conversation. RTAC has been created to help change that, giving advisors a stronger collective voice in shaping a more responsible future for travel.

The collective is built around a shared commitment to:

- Protecting wildlife from exploitation
- Supporting local communities and cultures
- Championing lower-carbon travel choices
- Tackling overtourism and promoting responsible tourism

RTAC aims to be a bridge between passion and implementation. We will be working with industry leaders to provide specialist training, collaborative learning, and practical tools that empower advisors to lead meaningful change across the travel industry.

And with more knowledge comes more responsibility.

The collective will campaign for what it believes is right, from helping end the sale of exploitative captive wildlife attractions, including cetacean experiences, to contributing to wider conversations around overtourism and its damaging environmental impact. At the same time, it aims to build stronger, more transparent relationships with travel partners who share these values.

If you are an agent reading this and believe travel can be more ethical, sustainable, and rewarding for everyone involved, there’s a place for you in this conversation.

For more information and to join the movement visit www.rtac.co.uk

If you are a customer and have questions about my policies and passions in this field, please reach out!

08/05/2026

Another Feedback Friday, and a slightly different one this week.

As many of you know, I've just launched as fully independent, which means my Trustpilot profile is starting from scratch. If you've ever booked with me and have two minutes to spare, a review would mean more right now than at any other point in my five years of doing this.

The link is in my bio. Thank you, as always, for your support!

07/05/2026

The Islands of Tahiti are one of those places that genuinely defy description.

Not because that’s what people always say about beautiful destinations, but because the culture, history, nature, inclusiveness, and the feeling of being there is unlike anywhere else I’ve travelled.

I’m one of a small number of UK Tahiti specialists officially recognised by - which means I know this destination beyond the brochure.

The islands beyond the (well deserved) dream of Bora Bora; Moorea, Rangiroa, Tahiti itself and the wilds of this nation’s five remote archipelagos are some of the most extraordinary places on earth, and most people never see them.

As part of my independence launch for bookings confirmed in May, I have £200 off any itinerary including the Islands of Tahiti (otherwise known as French Polynesia).

If this destination has been on your list for a while - whether that’s a honeymoon, a milestone anniversary, a cultural immersion or a marine wildlife adventure, I’d love to start a conversation.

No obligation, no pushy sales process. Just me and a very (very) good itinerary.

Scroll through to see some pictures from my trip to Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora and Rangiroa.

06/05/2026

There’s been so much warmth in response to my news, and I want to say a proper thank you. It honestly caught me off guard.

A few people have asked what my independence means in practice, so here’s the top three practicalities that matter to you.

1. Flexibility… I can work with any supplier, any operator. There’s no preferred list (other than my own), and no reason to recommend anything other than what’s genuinely right for your trip. And if I don’t already work with who is best for your enquiry, I have the freedom to get in touch and see if we can work together to combine their product with my additional service.

2. Financial protection… Your money is held in a separate trust account managed by independent trustees, ringfenced from the moment you pay and only released to fund your specific booking. I have partnered with Protected Trust Services to make sure my customers have peace of mind their money is safe and secure.

3. Control over how you’re looked after… This one is personal to me. Anyone who’s booked with me before will know that the level of care I put into every trip is non-negotiable, and being fully independent means I have complete control over how that service is delivered, from the first conversation to the moment you come home.

All of this costs you nothing extra than if you’d booked direct with the supplier. Tour operators pay me, you don’t.

If you have a trip in mind, whether it’s a bucket list adventure or something you’ve been quietly planning, I’d love to hear about it.