Black Tomato

For the September print edition of Real Simple, our wonderful client Natalie is interviewed in this feature about a very special mother-daughter trip to Japan that Black Tomato planned a decade ago for Natalie and her daughter, Hudson. As she says in this remarkable reflection on travel and motherhood, "I’ve learned that these annual adventures with my daughter might be the most valuable thing we’ll do all year. The list of where want to go is long and spurs conversations at home that are even longer. We’re just getting started." Go and pick up a copy, on stands now.

We've been cooking up something new – and very, very different. Watch this space. Photographs by Rick Young.

Because it’s never been enough for us to rely on hearsay – to take things "as read" – there's almost always one of us out somewhere in the world, trying and testing experiences for our travelers.   Most recently, Ian is back from Peru – where he spent thirteen glorious days uncovering new ways of seeing the Sacred Valley, Cusco, Puno, and the Colca Valley.   But for our team of globe-hungry travelers, these research trips aren't just a (really great) perk of the job. They're our bread and butter. 🌎

Carolyn, Brendan, and Sunil had a busy and brilliant time in Las Vegas for Virtuoso Travel Week, meeting and connecting with our partners, peers, and the wider travel community. Carolyn also appeared as part of the Virtuoso Advisor Panel – sharing her insight on booking patterns, travel trends, and opportunities to utilize AI. Thank you Virtuoso Travel for a world class week ✨ #VirtuosoTravelWeek 

We're delighted that Ayaka Hasegawa has joined us as Senior PR Manager – where's she'll be working with journalists and editors to share stories of Black Tomato around the world. Welcome, Ayaka! 

We're thrilled that Samantha Gingerella has joined the team as an Operations Expert – working on the behind-the-scenes logistics to ensure everything runs smoothly on our travelers' trips. Welcome to Black Tomato, Samantha!

We’re incredibly proud that our Senior Digital Marketing Executive, Melissa Roberts, has been selected for TTG Media's 30 Under 30 programme – which brings together a group of the brightest young minds in travel. Huge congratulations to Melissa, and to everyone in the #TTG30Under30 class of 2024. https://lnkd.in/g-SqEW4X

We're delighted that Andie McLaughlin has joined the Black Tomato team as a Travel Expert – specializing in creating European trips to inspire our travelers. Welcome, Andie!

We’re running full speed ahead into the second half of the year at Black Tomato (time really does fly when you’re having fun). Here’s what we've been up to: 🌍We’ve embarked on research trips all over the world. Joseph scouted out some fresh experiences in Costa Rica, and Laura explored Guatemala and Belize – to highlight just two. 🍹The entire US and UK teams gathered in London for our summer party at Radio Rooftop. ✈️Relationship Managers Hannah and Grace took a trip around Amsterdam to catch up with some our travelers and talk through plans for their future trips. 🇺🇸The US team enjoyed a few days working together in Boston as they welcomed Andie, Mary and Samantha to Black Tomato. ⛱️We’ve learned from 6 training sessions with our brilliant partners across the world. 🐘Our Co-Head Jos took her sabbatical for 10 years of service, volunteering in Zambia with Game Rangers International – a non-profit organisation working alongside the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) and local communities. 🌺We caught up with industry friends and partners to talk all things travel. 🌻The team have continued using their monthly volunteering days – like Melissa, who has been helping local charity G-force to clear local woodland, creating accessible outdoor space for local children ahead of the summer. 🌞We’ve been very glad to welcome Rosie and Harriet back from maternity leave.