Mathew Prior
- Position: Managing Director, Specialist Holidays Group
- With company since: February 2008
- E-mail: mathew.prior@specialistholidays.com
After graduating from Durham University in 1990, Mathew first acquainted himself with the travel industry by spending 5 years overseas, starting with a couple of seasons as a ski rep in Valloire and Zermatt. He then worked his way up to Area Manager, before returning to the UK to study for an MBA at Manchester Business School.
Since completing his MBA in 1999, Mathew has worked in various Managing Director roles, beginning with a start-up online travel agency, then in various specialist activity holiday businesses within First Choice Holidays before becoming Crystal’s MD in February 2008. Mathew has formulated and led plans to revitalise and re-organise the business, delivering growth for the business and innovation for customers despite the financial crisis at the end of 2008.
In the Autumn of 2010, Crystal merged with TUI Travel’s Specialist businesses to form the Specialist Holidays Group, and Mathew was chosen to head up the newly-formed organisation.
Away from work, Mathew loves skiing and proudly describes his ability as ‘enthusiastic British intermediate’. In addition to testing the slopes on work-related trips, he takes his young family on an annual ski trip. As a passionate Manchester United supporter, he considers himself Paul Scholes’ number one fan!
