Subscribe now using your favorite service:
When Tom Marchant co-founded the tour operator Black Tomato with two friends, the term “experiential travel” wasn’t even part of the travel zeitgeist.
Now, 20 years later, Marchant and the Black Tomato team remain committed to crafting bespoke, deeply personalized itineraries that feed their clients’ adventurous spirit and insatiable curiosity.
In this episode of Humans of Travel, Marchant shares what makes a Black Tomato trip so unique (including the origin story behind the company’s name), how the brand is staying ahead of the tech curve with innovations like its new AI-powered “Feelings Engine” — which suggests travel experiences based on how a user feels — and the impact his entrepreneur father had on his journey. He also reveals the hottest destinations on the horizon for intrepid travelers.
This episode is sponsored by The Travel Corporation.
Tom Marchant co-founded Black Tomato with two friends.
Credit: 2025 TravelAge WestResources Mentioned in This Episode
Black Tomato
The Feelings Engine
About Your Host
Emma Weissmann is the Executive Editor of TravelAge West, a print magazine and website for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly.
TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum.
About the Show
TravelAge West’s award-winning podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the highs and lows that make them human.
