Vegan Tourism Set to Be Travel’s Greener Shoot With a New Emphasis on Health

Responsible Travel commissioned a study last year that found that emissions associated with food are potentially greater than a trip’s transport emissions. Veganism has emerged as a tool to combat these emissions.

Well past the days of being a fringe diet, veganism has emerged as a tool for tour operators to attract guests to its excursions. And vegan-friendly tours are set to increase in years to come after pandemic.

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As the pandemic brings greater emphasis on personal health priorities, vegan tourism is poised for a new wave of growth once people begin traveling again.

“Bookings for our vegan holidays have more than doubled in recent years, rising by 120 percent between 2016 and 2019,” said Justin Francis, the founder and CEO of tour operator Responsible Travel, one of the relatively few tour operators to have trips scheduled in the early portion of 2021.

Indeed, Responsible Travel is far from the only travel business to benefit from the boom in veganism. “[We] have noticed an increasingly-high number of requests for vegan meals on all our tours,” noted Matt Berna, the managing director for the North American office of Intrepid Travel, which runs Vegan Real Food Adventures, a set of vegan-focused tours of India and in previous years, Thailand and Italy.

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In addition, those seeking vegan-friendly accommodation can turn to Vegan Welcome, a project launched in 2015 (by the brains behind Veggie Hotels, the world’s first hotel directory for solely vegetarian and vegan hotels and B&B lodgings) that lists more than 130 hotels in 20 countries on its website.

As evidenced by the growing number of vegan food tours taking travelers around the world. Contiki last year announced plans for its own vegan food tour of Europe starting this August, appealing is not only good business but “necessary business,” according to Berna. “Running the Vegan Real Food Adventures allowed us to gain greater insight into our vegan travelers: what they expect and crave in a food-themed tour. We believe it’s necessary to cater to dietary requirements on all our tours, especially the Real Food Adventures, so we can offer peace-of-mind and inclusivity for travelers who want to explore the world through cuisine, while adhering to their vegan lifestyle,” he added.

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Of course, tour operators dangle the carrot of delicious food to entice guests to vegan tours. But tourism businesses have found such excursions have a much greater benefit for the planet than just stuffing people’s stomachs: well-run vegan tours can support local communities and benefit the environment.

“Eating less meat while away – and opting for locally-sourced, organic produce in locally-run establishments – is one of the most significant ways to lower your carbon footprint on holiday, while also contributing to the local economy,” Francis asserted […].

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“Whether it’s a shared meal with a local Turkish family or a stop at a women-run restaurant in Marrakech, these tours are designed so local cuisine and shared meal experience are central to the experience, teaching travelers how local cuisine is influenced by culture, geography and history,” Berna said.

What does the future hold for vegan tourism after the pandemic? If current trends hold, it could be set for even bigger growth. Already, rapidly growing practice in the United States. GlobalData states the percentage of U.S. consumers identifying as vegan grew from 1 percent to 6 percent between 2014 and 2017, a 600 percent jump. A July 2020 survey revealed that 58 percent of American respondents said they want to eat more plant-based foods. Across the pond, according to the Vegan Society, there are roughly 600,000 vegans in the United Kingdom – a significant increase from the estimated 150,000 British vegans in 2006.

And a reason for the rise in veganism may have come from – Covid-19. A healthy percentage of respondents to a survey conducted by the charity Veganuary in July and August 2020 admitted the link between animal agriculture and the pandemic contributed to their decision to consume more vegan food. Futhermore, roughly one-fourth of British 21-to-30 year olds have stated the pandemic has made veganism more appealing to them. And on this side of the Atlantic, a recent report revealed that 30 percent of North American seniors are consuming more plant-based foods because of the pandemic.

So it’s obvious why companies like Intrepid Travel are giddy about a more lucrative future for vegan tourism. […]. ]

Click here to read the study carried out by Responsible Travel in which the overall carbon emissions of holidays were calculated.

This is an excerpt from an article originally written by Rashaad Jorden and published by Skift.com.