During her 40 years as Founder & Director of Prestbury Travel, Stella Bosworth has seen the travel industry change beyond measure which, much like society at the time, was rejoicing in perms and shoulder pads. Stella singlehandedly established Prestbury Travel in 1983, a time when women in business were a rarity, yet she humbly states, “I didn’t even think about it, I just got on with it as you did back then.”
When Prestbury Travel opened in the heart of Prestbury village in 1983, Stella started by selling package holidays in the days before the internet, when keen holidaymakers would queue out of the door with brochures in hand. It wasn’t long before she was tailor-making bespoke holidays around the world, a massive undertaking in a world without computers and only a phone and telex machine to hand!
However, it was after two clients requested villa holidays in Barbados and Mustique that Stella found a gap in the market for tailor-made Caribbean villa holidays, pioneering a strategy of networking with local agents to streamline the booking process for her clients. Alongside her husband, Peter, who came on board to build up their villa portfolio, Prestbury Travel became the foremost operator of Caribbean villa holidays in the UK, in addition to their established portfolio of Portuguese villa holidays.
In 1990, Stella acquired her 2nd travel agency in Poynton village which is now also the head office of their luxury tour operation, Prestbury Worldwide Resorts, which forms half of the company’s business. Prestbury Worldwide Resorts sells luxury worldwide holidays having built a steady base of loyal clients throughout the UK through a philosophy that is to exceed client's expectations.
Many of the staff that started with Stella in the early days of Prestbury Travel are still here today which is a testament to Stella’s leadership and the family ethos within the company. Prestbury Travel Branch Manager Loretta Edge, started at Prestbury as a young YTS in 1986 and is today the longest-standing employee, followed closely by Heidi Deverell (1986) who started her career in travel as a Saturday girl, and Louise Gray (1995) and Sarah Allen (1996). Stella’s children, Emma and James, joined the company many years ago and are actively leading the company into a new age of digitally-focused travel whilst maintaining their personal service.
A perk of working in the travel industry is the opportunity to test out hotels and destinations for clients, and Stella says her career highlights include fabulous familiarisation trips, which back in the 80s and 90s were no-expense-spared rewards for the best agents. Her favourite trips include stays at the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai, where she was taken on the Burj’s private helicopter for a tour of the city, trips to Richard Branson’s famed Necker Island and private jet flights to and around the Caribbean. Of course, it was all in a hard day’s work! There have been some hairy times, in particular when she and Emma were stranded in the British Virgin Islands during a hurricane following a visit to Necker Island!
Amongst a range of fascinating opportunities presented to her, back in 1998, Stella accompanied Jill Dando to Mustique to advise her in her role as presenter of The Holiday Show. They went together to Basil's Bar, a popular spot on the island that Princess Margaret would often frequent, and Stella has fond memories of the late broadcaster, describing her as a down-to-earth, lovely lady.
Of the many destinations Stella has visited, Barbados has truly captured her heart and she now owns a home there, particularly loving the opportunity to immerse herself in the laidback pace of life and vibrant culture. She has many warm recollections of family holidays with her husband and two children, Emma and James and her five grandchildren.
Although James and Emma are now in overall charge of the family business, Stella is still at the helm of Prestbury’s Cruise portfolio, indulging her passion for ocean voyages, and maintaining relationships with her longtime clients, some of whom have been booking holidays with her since Prestbury’s beginning.
