harm.less

Veganism is all over the place these days, with everyone from athletes to musicians to movie stars pronouncing their proclivity for plant-based eats. (Just look at Lizzo — the icon has been sharing her mouthwatering vegan meals via TikTok, and people are going bananas for the delectable dishes.)

But veganism isn’t just about food. It’s become a highly desirable lifestyle that’s easier on human health, the environment, and the animals — and more and more people are figuring out just how awesome it is.

With this growth, veganism is set to exert its influence more heavily on the travel industry, according to new research from GlobalData.

“The view that a vegan diet reflects a more sustainable form of lifestyle is gaining increased traction and is no longer considered a market niche,” Johanna Bonhill-Smith, Travel & Tourism Analyst said in a press release. “In a GlobalData survey conducted in December 2020, 76% of over 5,700 global respondents identified they were influenced by how ethical/environmentally friendly/socially responsible the product/service is.”

Before COVID, only 46% of global respondents identified that they actively buy products that are ‘better for the environment or animal friendly’. This suggests that COVID has led people to make more environmentally friendly, conscious choices.

And those conscious travelers are going to need more personalized services as the COVID threat subsides and travel opens up.

Luckily, all over the world, more vegan-friendly travel options are popping up, from tours to excursions to digital travel apps. Examples include Veg Visits and Air Vegan — travel directories designed for vegan travelers. Veg Visits alone has vegan hosts in 80 different countries.

Sites and options like these are likely to see an increase in business with post-COVID travel.

“Servicing a traveler’s every need is going to be critical in post-pandemic recovery to both restore confidence and ensure satisfaction. With a greater level of satisfaction, there is, in turn, a higher chance to attract loyal customers – a promising prospect in light of COVID-19 and the detrimental losses it has inflicted on company revenues. As travel companies aspire to personalize each individual’s experience, ‘veganism’ should be an area to be acknowledged and acted upon, not ignored across the tourism sector.”

So if you’re in the travel biz, this is one sector you won’t want to ignore.