Ownership Shifts, a Route Network Survives, and Collette Makes the Case for Sicily

Black Tomato's founders have sold 75% of the luxury custom/FIT operator to an employee ownership trust while retaining control of strategic decision-making, according to an exclusive Skift report. The structure reads as succession planning rather than a change in direction — there's no outside strategic buyer pushing cost-cutting or a shift in product philosophy. For advisors who route high-end bespoke itineraries through Black Tomato, the near-term signal is stability: same leadership, same design approach, presumably unchanged trade terms. The longer-term question is how an employee-ownership structure reshapes staffing incentives and growth pace once the trust is fully bedded in — worth watching, not worrying about, for now. It's a useful data point to have on hand if luxury clients ask who's actually running the company behind their custom trip.

The 11th Circuit has vacated the Department of Transportation's order that would have forced Delta and Aeromexico to unwind their joint venture, reversing a prior antitrust action. The ruling preserves the codeshare and coordinated pricing that underpins US-Mexico route capacity — the same air inventory Delta Vacations and other Mexico-focused package wholesalers build their air-inclusive pricing on. Had the JV been dismantled, advisors could have faced tighter seat allocation and less-coordinated scheduling into Mexican gateways heading into peak winter booking. With the JV intact, there's no near-term disruption expected to Delta Vacations' Mexico air-and-hotel packages or fare availability. Nothing for advisors to action on existing Mexico bookings, but it removes a supply-side question mark that had been hanging over the route network into the winter season.

Collette is hosting a live virtual training session for advisors on Aug. 27, built around selling Sicily and its islands as a destination in its own right rather than a mainland-Italy add-on. Confirmed independently by PAX News and Travelweek, the session pairs traveler-informed selling points with a complimentary client-facing 'Know Before You Go' guide advisors can hand straight to prospects. For advisors currently fielding Italy inquiries, this is a concrete repositioning tool — useful ahead of the fall/winter Italy booking push, when Sicily can be framed as a distinct itinerary rather than a bolt-on. Registering ahead of the 27th gets advisors the guide and talking points in time for the next wave of Italy-curious client calls.