Staff Profile

Tom's Biog

Tom is one of our co-founders. Originally from London, he’s spent much of his adult life on the road, predominantly in Asia.

Having studied Drama at Bristol University, it seemed a future in the arts and media beckoned. However, despite stints in the camera departments of feature films and a prolonged period working for Channel 4 News (long before their acrimonious stand-off with the Sri Lankan government), the lure and adventure of travel proved too strong to resist.

Tom first fell in love with Sri Lanka in 1999 while on a voluntary teaching placement in rural Anamaduwa, a place he now calls home. An expert on all things Sri Lankan, Tom speaks fluent Sinhala and likes nothing more than exploring Sri Lanka by motorbike – a mode of transport he’s favoured to visit every district in the country. He is also part owner of The Mudhouse, a unique eco-lodge in rural Sri Lanka. 

His travel career started as an adventure tour leader for Explore Worldwide, taking him to Libya, United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Spain, Madeira and Oman. During a fortnight break between tours in 2003, Tom went for a pint in London with his old school friend, Sam Clark, and discovering they had the same ideas for creating authentic, in-depth experiences, Experience Travel Group was born. They both quit their jobs and started out on their own, moving to Sri Lanka - the first of the company's destinations.