What Black Tomato does

Black Tomato is a privately held, bespoke luxury travel company founded in 2005 by Tom Marchant and James Merrett (with Matt Smith also referenced as co-founder), headquartered in London with a regional office in New York. The company designs fully personalized, quote-based itineraries for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, couples, and small groups across more than 100 destinations worldwide. Its commercial model is direct-to-consumer: clients engage through website enquiries, dedicated phone lines, or consultations with expert travel advisors, with revenue generated primarily through supplier commissions and booking markups on the full trip value rather than planning fees. Individual bespoke trips are documented at price points up to and beyond $1 million (per a Feb 2026 Bloomberg reference), and average transaction sizes are materially higher than mass-market travel.

The product portfolio combines core bespoke itinerary design with a set of branded experiential lines: the Pursuit of Feeling collection, Feelings Engine (a proprietary emotion-based destination matching tool), Trip Finder, Blink (luxury glamping), Get Lost (survival challenges), Field Trip (educational family travel), Set Jetting (TV-location trips), Take Me on a Story, The Great American View, Tasting Notes (culinary), and a Proposal Service, plus an add-on family logistics service called The Rider. The underlying technology stack is light and not disclosed; differentiation is described as resting on human expertise, destination knowledge, and emotional profiling rather than proprietary algorithms.

Distribution is exclusively direct, supplemented by a small set of high-profile strategic partnerships that serve as both demand-generation and product-IP vehicles: James Bond (official travel partner via EON Productions/Danjaq), Agatha Christie Limited (Grand Tour), Auberge Resorts Collection (US road trips), and VistaJet (Summer 2026 Private World Collection, April 2026). Industry accreditations include Virtuoso membership, IATA accreditation, and ABTA membership (with package holidays sold as agent for Hays Tour Operating Ltd, ATOL 10531). The company operates with 51-100 employees, has not raised institutional capital, and remains founder-controlled.

Name

Black Tomato

Legal name

Black Tomato

Website

https://blacktomato.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Black Tomato is a privately held, bespoke luxury travel company founded in 2005, designing fully personalized, quote-based itineraries for high-net-worth families, couples, and groups across 100+ destinations from London and New York offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Travel Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152), Tour Operators (561520), Travel Agencies (561510)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom Itinerary Planning with Booking & Fulfillment (Full-Service) (THAKAOAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bespoke Multi-Day Itinerary Planning & Custom Tour Design (THAJALAB), Group, Family & Multi-Generational Travel Planning (HSACAKAK)

Keywords

• Luxury travel services
• Bespoke itinerary planning
• Private travel agency
• Experiential travel design
• Luxury vacation planning

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Bespoke Travel Planning and Booking Services: Black Tomato acts as a luxury travel agency, designing fully personalized itineraries and arranging all travel components (accommodation, guides, experiences, transportation). The company earns revenue through commissions from travel suppliers (hotels, tour operators, airlines) and service fees. Pricing is quote-based and tailored to each journey, with costs calculated per person sharing when referencing indicative prices on their website. No planning fees are charged according to their marketing, suggesting revenue comes primarily from supplier commissions and booking markups.
2. Premium Bespoke Itinerary Design: Black Tomato creates completely custom travel itineraries for high-net-worth individuals and families. The company leverages their 20+ years of expertise, relationships with luxury properties, and destination knowledge to deliver premium experiences at price points that can exceed $1 million for ultra-luxury experiences (as mentioned in Bloomberg article about bespoke White Lotus-style weekends). Revenue is generated through the full booking value, with margins built into supplier arrangements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Black Tomato designs and books fully bespoke, end-to-end luxury travel itineraries for individual travelers, families, couples, and groups across 100+ global destinations, handling every component from accommodation and private guides to transfers and on-the-ground support. The company pairs each journey with 24/7 in-destination support, expert private guides, and themed experience collections (e.g., Set Jetting, Field Trip, Blink, Get Lost), with pricing built into a per-journey quote and revenue generated via supplier commissions and booking markups.

Product overview

Black Tomato is a bespoke luxury travel company that offers a unified platform of personalized travel planning services and specialized experiential products. The core offering centers on tailor-made itineraries for families, couples, groups, and solo travelers across 100+ destinations worldwide. The product portfolio includes the Feelings Engine (an interactive trip recommendation tool), the Trip Finder (discovery tool by timing and emotion), and the Pursuit of Feeling collection. Specialized experiences include Set Jetting (TV locations), Field Trip (educational family travel), Take Me on a Story (literary experiences), Blink (luxury glamping), Get Lost (survival challenges), and The Great American View (US landmarks). Exclusive collaborations feature James Bond official travel partner experiences, Agatha Christie Grand Tour, Tasting Notes (culinary with acclaimed chefs), and Auberge Resorts road trips. Add-on services include The Rider (family travel essentials) and Proposal Service. The company operates UK, US, and Rest of World sites with 24/7 on-ground support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Epic Tomato: Related entity mentioned in footer links.
• The Pursuit of Feeling
• The Rider
• Feelings Engine

Products and services

• Pursuit of Feeling A collection of trips, features, and luxury travel experiences focused on the emotional dimension of travel, based on the philosophy that travel is about how you want to feel rather than where you want to go.
• Set Jetting Bespoke journeys that take travelers behind the scenes of iconic TV filming locations, swapping generic lodgings for sumptuous hotels and eye-opening experiences.
• Field Trip A curriculum of educational family encounters around the world where younger travelers apply classroom lessons through hands-on, real-world experiences.
• Take Me on a Story A series of family experiences celebrating the transformative power of books, bringing beloved stories to life through episodic trips inspired by classic literature.
• See You in the Moment Luxury group travel experiences designed to turn good times into unforgettable memories through curated moments and shared togetherness.
• Blink A luxury glamping retreat concept that Black Tomato can create anywhere in the world, from the Sahara desert to the Andean Mountains.
• Get Lost A once-in-a-lifetime challenge experience where travelers train with elite survival experts before traversing a polar, jungle, coastal, mountain, or desert region on a mission back to civilisation.
• The Great American View A series of journeys culminating in some of America's most legendary sights and iconic landscapes.
• James Bond Travel Experiences Official James Bond-inspired trips curated by Black Tomato as the selected travel partner, offering immersive experiences inspired by the film franchise.
• Agatha Christie Grand Tour Hand-picked by Agatha Christie Limited to bring the Grand Tour to life through episodic trips across Africa, Australasia, and North America, with a unique prelude in London.
• Tasting Notes Culinary travel experiences traveling with critically acclaimed chefs to learn about countries through the lens of food and gastronomy.
• Remarkable Drives of Discovery with Auberge Bespoke, multi-destination road trip itineraries created with Auberge Resorts Collection featuring America's most iconic landscapes, regions, and people.
• Proposal Service A bespoke proposal planning service that helps travelers design and execute the perfect proposal moment, ensuring an unforgettable experience.
• The Rider A family travel add-on service that ensures travelers always have their essentials, including night-lights, playing cards, beach inflatables, portable speakers, and specific brands of food items, at any destination.
• Luxury Honeymoon Packages Fully personalized luxury honeymoon planning that creates bespoke romantic itineraries for newly married couples across destinations worldwide.
• Luxury Family Holidays Bespoke luxury family travel service designed around different family dynamics, with specialized offerings for toddlers, teens, adult children, and multi-generational groups.
• Footsteps A travel experience offering focused on discovering the world and finding one's future through immersive journeys.

Quantifiable outcome

• No planning fees charged for bespoke itinerary design
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• VistaJetcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2026Black Tomato partnered with VistaJet to develop the Summer 2026 Private World Collection - a curated series of immersive travel journeys spanning Africa, the Arctic, North America, and Europe. VistaJet is a private aviation company, and Black Tomato serves as one of the travel designers creating bespoke experiences connected by VistaJet's global fleet. This partnership positions Black Tomato to offer combined private aviation and ground experience packages for ultra-high-net-worth travelers.
• James Bond (EON Productions/Danjaq LLC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack Tomato has been selected as the official travel partner to curate James Bond-inspired trips. This exclusive partnership allows Black Tomato to offer unique experiences at iconic James Bond filming locations, leveraging the franchise's prestige and global recognition to attract luxury travelers seeking extraordinary experiences.
• Agatha Christie LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack Tomato has been hand-picked by Agatha Christie Limited to bring Agatha's world-famous Grand Tour to life through a series of episodic trips across Africa, Australasia, and North America, with a unique prelude in London. This partnership enables Black Tomato to offer literary-themed travel experiences tied to Agatha Christie's detective stories and exotic destinations.
• Auberge Resorts CollectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack Tomato partnered with Auberge Resorts Collection to create bespoke road trip itineraries across America's most iconic landscapes, regions, and people. The 'Take the Open Road' and 'Remarkable Drives of Discovery' series offer multi-destination luxury road trip experiences at Auberge properties, combining hospitality with curated adventure.
• Cookson AdventurescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack Tomato collaborated with Cookson Adventures as part of VistaJet's Summer 2026 Private World Collection. Cookson Adventures is a renowned adventure travel company, and the partnership creates combined offerings for extreme and adventurous luxury travel experiences.
• ArtfarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack Tomato partnered with Artfarm as part of VistaJet's Summer 2026 Private World Collection. Artfarm is a luxury experiential events company, and the collaboration focuses on high-end experiential travel offerings.
• Brush Creek RanchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack Tomato partnered with Brush Creek Ranch as part of VistaJet's Summer 2026 Private World Collection. Brush Creek Ranch is a luxury ranch destination in Wyoming, featured as part of experiences marking America's 250th anniversary.
• VirtuosocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBlack Tomato is a Virtuoso member, gaining access to a network of luxury travel advisors and high-net-worth travelers. Virtuoso endorsement also extends to their recommended insurance providers (Allianz and Travelex). This membership provides distribution reach and credibility within the luxury travel industry.
• IATA (International Air Transport Association)coreOthersBlack Tomato holds IATA accreditation, providing authority to issue air tickets and handle airline bookings directly. This accreditation is essential for their travel agency operations and provides industry credibility.
• ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents)coreOthersBlack Tomato is an ABTA member, providing financial protection for package holidays sold through their agency. Package holidays are sold by Black Tomato as an agent for Hays Tour Operating Ltd, ATOL 10531, providing consumer protection and industry credibility for UK travelers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Abercrombie & Kent: Abercrombie & Kent is one of the most established luxury travel companies globally, offering fully customized private journeys, small-group escorted tours, and expedition cruises for affluent travelers. Directly comparable to Black Tomato in serving UHNW clients with bespoke multi-destination itineraries and a similar supplier-commission revenue model.
• Scott Dunn: Scott Dunn is a UK-based luxury tour operator specializing in tailor-made holidays with particular strength in family travel, honeymoons, and ski. Closely comparable to Black Tomato on geography (London headquarters, US presence), family-multi-generational focus, and bespoke full-service trip design.
• Wild Frontiers: Wild Frontiers is a UK-based adventure travel company focused on off-the-beaten-path destinations with a small-group and tailor-made offering. Comparable to Black Tomato on adventure luxury overlap, founder-led UK boutique positioning, and bespoke adventure itineraries.
• Red Savannah: Red Savannah is a UK-based bespoke travel specialist offering tailor-made holidays with expert-led itineraries across long-haul destinations. Directly comparable to Black Tomato on UK boutique scale, bespoke model, country-specialist advisors, and focus on experiential cultural travel.
• Quintessentially Travel: Quintessentially Travel is part of the Quintessentially Group, a global luxury concierge and lifestyle brand offering bespoke travel services to ultra-high-net-worth members. Directly comparable to Black Tomato on UHNW clientele, concierge-level service, and premium brand positioning.
• Geographic Expeditions (GeoEx): Geographic Expeditions is a US-based adventure travel company specializing in small-group and custom expeditions to remote destinations worldwide. Comparable to Black Tomato on the adventure-expedition subset of bespoke luxury (overlapping with Black Tomato's 'Get Lost' survival experience offering).
• TCS World Travel: TCS World Travel is a US-based luxury travel company specializing in private jet expeditions and bespoke international itineraries for ultra-high-net-worth travelers. Comparable to Black Tomato at the highest end of bespoke luxury, particularly on multi-continent private itineraries and six-figure-plus booking values.
• Audley Travel: Audley Travel is a UK-based specialist tour operator creating bespoke long-haul itineraries for individual travelers through a country-specialist advisor model. Directly comparable to Black Tomato in country-specialist expertise, bespoke pricing, and destination depth across Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
• Kensington Tours: Kensington Tours is a Canada-based luxury tour operator offering fully customized private guided tours and FIT (free independent traveler) itineraries worldwide. Directly comparable to Black Tomato in private guides, customization, and global destination coverage with private-driver experiences.

Broad incumbents

• Tauck: Tauck is a larger, established US-based luxury tour operator offering guided tours and small-ship cruises across global destinations. A broader incumbent with overlapping luxury clientele and destination coverage but operating more standardized group itineraries rather than Black Tomato's fully bespoke model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Black_Tomato

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Black Tomato