"Travelers seek a human connection behind the food that's put on their table."
Tom Marchant, co-founder of Black Tomato
As we enter a new decade, Tom Marchant, co-founder of the bespoke luxury travel company, Black Tomato, shares his insight on the trends that will be shaping global travel experiences of tomorrow and partners with Euromonitor International research, who provide further research and insight into consumer's travel preferences in Black Tomato’s Travel Report
The report recognizes that the definition of “luxury” is evolving, and the “experience” phenomenon is becoming ubiquitous, something consumers are becoming increasingly de-sensitised to. The report instead charters a deeper course, where experience is synonymous with “personal fulfillment” and creating lasting change is seen as the new currency for the luxury travel market.
Tastebud Travelling
Food is a beloved lens into a culture and a driving force for tourism. Whilst this strong driver for travel isn’t new, Black Tomato sees an evolution of visitors craving a greater connection to the people behind a region’s dishes; experiencing the journey from farm-to-table.
In fact, 64% of high-income earners are interested in exploring farming and food producers to fulfill their culinary desires, says Euromonitor International’s research.
Within travel experiences, travellers are demanding to spend meaningful time with chefs and producers – inside the kitchen and out. This offers the opportunity to build a deeper, more emotional connection to a place, enabling travellers to venture beyond the fleeting moment of taste and to understand the story of the people and place behind it. ‘Tasting Notes’ allows life’s two greatest indulgences, food and travel, become one immersive journey, exploring culinary landscapes through the eyes of world-class chefs.
Black Tomato's 'Tasting Notes' experiences assist travellers in getting under the skin of emerging gourmand destinations, explored through a radical new lens: the eyes of those that have shaped the culinary landscapes, the innovative and pioneering chefs.
Each itinerary is handcrafted and designed by the chefs and brought to life by Black Tomato offering clients unparallelled access and experiences money cannot buy, including traveling with the visionaries themselves, whenever possible.
Dining Destinations
Peru
Whilst much of Peru’s culinary attention has been focused on Lima, the Sacred Valley has much to offer. With truly specialist experiences to give a taste of why Andean dishes are becoming more and more popular in Peru, enjoy authentic meals on the bank of the Urubamba River before giving thanks to Pachamama, or Mother Earth to you and I, in a traditional Andean Pago a la Tierra ceremony. From local cuisine to haute cuisine, Virgilio’s new restaurant Mil, tucked away amid the otherworldly circular terraces of Moray, thousands of metres above sea level is worth a visit. Here, indulge in a seven-course degustation paired with distilled infusions you won’t soon forget.
Culinary Dining Spots:
- Sacred Valley
- Cusco
- Lima
Slovenia
Slovenia is perhaps a country you’ve never considered as being an innovative culinary destination but thanks to its incredible wine scene, farm-to-table cuisine and chefs focused on locally sourced produce, it is emerging as one to rival traditional European destinations. Travellers looking to lift the lid on the best of Slovenian gastronomy should explore the culinary delights it has to offer, boasting incredible chefs such as, Janez Bratovž.
Culinary Dining Spots:
- Lake Bled
- Soča Valley
- Goriška Brda
Spain
Spain has long held the accolade of being one of the world’s top culinary destinations – and rightly so. Far beyond the realms of tapas and sangria, Spanish cuisine is innovative, it is varied and it is ever changing, making it the perfect addition to our Tasting Notes Series. Over time and across the country, Spanish cuisine never stands still – one region, however, always seems to stand out; the Basque Country. Boasting the highest number of Michelin stars per capita in the world (San Sebastian alone has 16 to its name), home to four restaurants appearing in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and the host of 2018’s instalment; dining here is far from your average meal out.
Culinary Dining Spots:
- Bilbao
- San Sebastian
- Getaria
To find out more about Black Tomato’s trends and how the shape of travel is changing, you can to read the full report here: https://www.blacktomato.com/travel-trends/
