Hello, I'm Annika Nickson

This is me with my partner in travel and life Steve, who you may see pop up on my social channels from time to time.


I'm a half-Swedish country girl who grew up in the middle of nowhere near Newbury, Berkshire, but have also enjoyed living in Hull, Leicester, London and Iowa City, USA.


My great passions in life are history, architecture, dogs, nature, music, all things retro and cocktail culture. 


I'm a planning and details obsessive and love to pour over the nitty gritty of itineraries, putting myself in a traveller's shoes.


History and Archaeology


My early years of travel were all centred around history, archaeology and architecture. My dad was a huge Francophile and history buff, so we spent every summer exploring the battlefields and cathedrals of Normandy in our caravan.


Having originally trained to be an architect, my dad's love of buildings was passed down to me. I studied Gothic, Romanesque and post-modern architecture as part of my degree, eventually writing my dissertation on the architectural effects of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.


After volunteering at Wilberforce House Museum in Hull, I undertook a Museum Studies MA focussing on social history. I eventually spent 15 years working in the field of heritage, including listing buildings at English Heritage, museum education at Hull Museums, heritage event management at Heritage Learning plus historic buildings consultancy work, including lecturing on vernacular architecture at the University of Hull and working on community projects.


History and archaeology are my greatest passions. Exploring historic sites is my favourite thing to do on holiday, the most extreme trip being a self-planned day-by-day itinerary following the route of Henry V to the battlefield of Agincourt! 


I love to share this passion with like-minded travellers so if you too are a history buff, please get in touch.

Destinations


I’m lucky enough to be well travelled from an early age, with two round the world trips igniting my love of the exotic. Some of my favourite memories include trips to Egypt, Fiji, Bali, Singapore, Seychelles, Mauritius, New Zealand, Santorini, Crete and Italy. 


The destinations I've spent the most time in are those connected to family and friends. Being half Swedish on my mum's side I've travelled there regularly since childhood. I also have relatives in Australia, so have visited many times. 


After visiting the USA as a child and later becoming fascinated with its history both ancient and modern, I completed an American Studies degree with a year at the University of Iowa. I wrote my dissertation on the architecture of Chicago, now my favourite city, and thanks to having close friends there visit as often as possible.

Nature, wildlife & responsible travel


Having grown up a country girl, nature and wildlife have always formed a big part of my life. Re-wilding is a subject close to my heart, which is why I’m so proud the Climate Hero initiative has become a foundation stone of Nickson Travel. 


I’m continuing on a journey of learning and growing when it comes to sustainable travel. As well as continually training up on responsible tour operators and suppliers, I've completed Kiwano Hotels' 'Masterclass in Sustainable Travel.' This cemented my commitment to not support tourism cruelty and inspired me to create my Animal Welfare Policy.


All of this culminated in being chosen as one of only 20 UK travel agents to be a TTG (Travel Trade Gazette’s) Sustainable Travel Ambassador for 2023. As part of this I received in depth training from industry professionals, grew my connections with operators who share my values, as well as bringing more knowledge to my customers who are curious and keen to experience a more responsible way of travelling.


I've continued to grow in this field and recently have been campaigning for better education around animal welfare in tourism. In 2024 I was shortlisted as both the Travel Trade Gazette Sustainable Travel Champion of the Year, and the Travel Weekly UK Sustainable Travel Champion of the Year (small business).

Nickson Travel


I founded this business in October 2020 after years of dreaming about my own travel company. I’m a stickler for detail and nothing gives me greater pleasure than planning an itinerary for my clients, getting excited with them and seeing them make the most wonderful memories. 


I have a loyal group of customers who I've built a great relationship with. I know their tastes and preferences inside out, and they in turn know my dedication to looking after them and their plans. Want to join them? Then please do get in touch to discuss your ideas - I'd be honoured to help you on your journey.