Lauren Ainsley

Regional Product Manager

I work in the Product department at Black Tomato. I like to think of our team as the ‘buyers’ of the company, constantly on the lookout for new and exciting hotels and different ways to experience a destination. We manage the relationships of our partners in each country and work very closely with them to find ways to improve our services on the ground. It’s the relationship side of the role that I enjoy most, connecting with people across the world on a daily basis.

The Black Tomato value that speaks to me most is curiosity. I am curious to see as much of the magnificent world as I possibly can and I’m fortunate to work in a role that allows me to do just that.

I absolutely thrive off the travel events we attend. An opportunity to meet with rooms filled with likeminded people and learn about some seriously cool new (or existing) experiences that Black Tomato could be sharing with our travellers. My passion for travel runs through my working day and into every non-working hour too. Waking up somewhere new to explore another pocket of the world fills me with joy. Seeing the sun rise across an African savanna and settle into the Indian ocean – these moments feed my soul.

"It was a moment charged with emotion"

A closer look at Kenya

There’s always one. One ‘only seen on TV’ creature you’d love to see in real life. To my mum, that was a leopard. And finally, after 10 long years, she got her wish – at sunset, in the heart of Kenya’s Loisaba Conservancy. With me.

Lounging on a rock, absorbing the heat coming off its surface, there lay a leopard – just three metres from our vehicle. There was no need for binoculars; we could see every detail, from his ginormous paws with razor sharp nails to his long spiny whiskers and tics on his ears. We sat together, soaking in the sounds of the bush, watching majestic creature in the ever-changing light of the sky as the sun set behind the hills. It was a moment charged with emotion – and a travel memory that will stay with both of us for a very long time to come.

Take me there

“Many companies brag about offering once-in-a-lifetime experiences. But with Black Tomato it’s not hyperbole”

“Black Tomato are one of the coolest things in the world. Don’t even try and live without them”

“Black Tomato is a super innovative company where the sky is the limit for their clients”

“Black Tomato prides itself on meeting customers every minor need or desires”

“Black Tomato is the choice provider of mind-expanding holidays”