The rapid evolution of the vegan movement has left its mark on the travel and hotel industry. What in the past was just a trend expected by some travel guides is now a profitable reality. ‘Vegan holidays’ is the keyword under which travel providers such as Intrepid Travel offer so-called “Vegan Food Adventures”. Contrary to expectations, flexitarians and health-conscious tourists rank among the most frequent customers of the vegan holidays.
Leigh Barnes, Chief Purpose Officer of Intrepid Travel, offers plant-based food tours in Italy, Thailand and India with his company. With the vegan experience, the Australian tour operator’s main intention is to promote vegan cultures and practices around the world and to offer responsible travelers an opportunity to contribute to the healing of the earth. Vegan experiences and tours are designed not to visit or experience any attractions that could be harmful to animals and the environment in any way. More and more travel companies are adapting to vegan trends and aligning their policies to the needs of animals and the environment.
This is also true of the hotel provider Veggie Hotels. Thomas Klein, co-founder of the company, also underlines the mistaken assumption that veggie or vegan hotels are used exclusively by vegans. Contrary to this belief, Veggie Hotels has a higher number of flexitarian and health-conscious customers than vegans. The demand for vegan-friendly hotels has grown so much that Veggie Hotels now even offers workshops for cooks and hoteliers. These vegan workshops are intended to train the hotel personnel in plant-based hospitality and to educate them sufficiently in other aspects so that they are prepared and qualified for further vegan trends in the hotel industry.
