There’s a new luxury vegan hotel in Santorini, with biodegradable toiletries, bamboo slippers, and, of course, a plant-based breakfast. Co-owner Artemis Sorotou spills the beans on the Ethos Vegan Retreat.

While the world of ethical and sustainable hospitality is booming, some have been doing it for years. Ethos Santorini, the family-run company championing veganism and eco-friendly living, is one of them.

In 2021, it opened the Ethos Vegan Suites in Fira, the capital of one of the most popular islands in Greece. The five-room hotel was built with natural materials on Santorinian architectural principles, and provided a blueprint for cruelty-free hospitality offerings.

In the years since, it has gained a cult following (and exemplary ratings), which led to its owners – the wife-husband duo of Artemis Sorotou and Coskun Piskin – opening a second location this month. Situated in the village of Imerovigli, the Ethos Vegan Retreat builds upon the brand’s sustainability credentials, with four private villas exuding luxury and slow living with climate-friendly food and amenities.

With bookings available from May to September, guests are treated to a breakfast platter that veganises local Greek dishes and international classics, as well as three-course meals traversing various cuisines, and vegan alcohol options. The sustainability aspect extends to all parts of the property, from the zero-waste slippers and biodegradable toiletries to glass water bottles and pottery containers.

Each villa has two bedrooms and bathrooms, with large indoor and outdoor spaces that encourage a tranquil environment. All the residences have a heated pool too, extending Ethos’s ethos of unwinding and rejuvenating in Santorini’s stunning landscapes.

We spoke to Sorotou about the decision to open the new property, its vegan and sustainable offerings, and her plans for the future.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and concision.

Green Queen: What made you decide to open a second location? Why open it only seasonally?

Artemis Sorotou: With the resounding success of Ethos Suites in Fira, we were inspired to dream bigger. After two years of operation and an outpouring of love and positive feedback from our guests, we knew we had something special. This success, coupled with the unwavering support of my family – who stepped in to invest in the land – has paved the way for our new location to become a reality. 

At Ethos Retreat Imerovigli, we are excited to offer a unique and more laidback style of vacation. From cooking classes to retreats, we are committed to sharing more with our guests. However, due to weather conditions, we have decided to operate the residences seasonally to ensure we can maintain the high level of experience we strive to offer. Certain things, like keeping the pools warm and clean, just aren’t possible year-round.

GQ: Who is your target customer?

AS: Our commitment to veganism and nature is at the core of our brand. We have created a safe environment for vegans, where they can relax, knowing everything is made with respect to animals and nature. However, our ultimate goal is to attract more non-vegan guests and show them that they can enjoy life and vacations without any animal abuse and with a deep respect for nature. 

After three years, we can proudly say that our success extends beyond the vegan community. Many of our guests aren’t vegan but return with glowing feedback. This achievement signifies our ability to cater to a diverse clientele, making them realise that a vegan lifestyle can be delicious, luxurious, and cruelty-free.

GQ: How would you differentiate your first property from your second for customers looking to choose between the two?

AS: Both properties are distinct and luxurious in their own unique way. Ethos Suites in Fira caters to those who prefer to be in the city centre. The location allows them to be in the midst of the action, explore easily, and use public transportation conveniently. However, they can still retreat to a cosy and stylish space with all the amenities and even a private hot tub. They can find a tranquil oasis when they step into Ethos.

Ethos Retreat in Imerovigli is ideal for laidback holidays, for families, friends, couples, or even solo travellers. This is an ideal escape for those who really want to relax and disconnect, and aren’t as interested in being in the middle of the action. Of course, with our assistance, they can still experience and explore the whole island.

GQ: What are some of the highlights from your breakfast and à la carte menus?

AS: We offer complimentary breakfast and a special experience dining menu (not a traditional à la carte menu), which includes Greek mezze platters, fruit platters, a three-course dinner or lunch, cooking classes, champagne service, and a sunset picnic. The three-course dinner or lunch is themed either Greek, Italian or Middle Eastern.

For breakfast, we offer a different selection daily consisting of one savoury and one sweet option, homemade jams, fresh juices, and more. A few special breakfast dishes that we offer include a veganised version of my grandma’s pancakes, called tiganitous; Kagiane, which is traditionally a dish made with scrambled eggs (I use tofu and spices), and crêpes with tahini and tart apples.

GQ: Do you plan to serve plant-based meats too, or have a whole-food approach? And what milks will you serve?

AS: We cook mostly whole-food plant-based, with many local ingredients. I’ve also veganised many traditional Greek recipes so guests can enjoy the cuisine without the cruelty. A few other traditional Greek dishes that we serve include moussaka, pastitsio, baklava, spinach pie, mushroom gyro, bougatsa, and more.

For plant-based milk, we use soy, almond and oat milk.

GQ: The retreat uses Nespresso pods – but coffee capsules are notoriously bad for the climate. How do you deal with the waste created?

AS: We chose Nespresso because it is the only company that allows us to collect the capsules and send them back with no extra cost for recycling. For coffee, we didn’t have many options. We also offer fresh herbal tea leaves produced in Greece, served in pottery made at the locally owned Earth and Water Studio.

GQ: How did you approach the design, in regards to sustainability and local heritage?

We worked with a Santorini-based architecture team called Kapsimalis Architects to blend sustainability with local design. The exterior design incorporates the island’s aesthetics – domes and straight lines, as well as colours and fabrics. Most of the furniture and tableware are made by local carpenters and pottery artists.

GQ: What other sustainability initiatives have you undertaken for the new property?

AS: We don’t use any plastic toiletries – we utilise biodegradable certified vegan pods for shampoo, conditioner and shower gel made by Biorama, a family-owned company based in Crete. We also provide bamboo amenities and slippers made from hotel towel waste.

We are trying to eliminate plastic by using glass bottles of water, providing tea and sugar in pottery, no plastic or paper bags, using biodegradable toilet paper that can be thrown inside the toilet, separating waste and recycling, and doing our own compost to manage food waste. 

Unfortunately, the location of Ethos in Imerovigli doesn’t provide us with a connection to the public water system (it’s not safe for human consumption), so we have to purchase glass bottles of water. However, at Ethos Suites in Fira, we have installed a water filter, so we’re able to provide guests with water in refillable glass bottles daily.

We also only use eco-friendly and vegan cleaning products throughout the property.

GQ: Where do you see the company in five years? Do you envision more locations in the future?

We hope to inspire more businesses to take a more sustainable approach to hospitality and, of course, help more people enjoy a vacation with less cruelty and less of an environmental impact.

If we say we don’t envision more locations, it would be a lie. But that’s still far away, as we are just a single family running this business. This requires considerable financial investment and constant work. I have a few more Ethos projects that I hope one day will come to fruition, but for now, they are dreams.

The post Q&A with Ethos Santorini’s Artemis Sorotou: ‘Our Ultimate Goal is to Attract Non-Vegans to Our Hotel’ appeared first on Green Queen.

With six airports belonging to London, the UK capital is the city most exposed to air pollution from aviation globally, while Dubai International is the worst airport for climate impact.

Months after all the hullabaloo of the first transatlantic flight using only sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), it has emerged that London – with six airports to its name – is the world’s worst-polluted city from aviation.

This is according to the 2024 Airport Tracker, produced by the global think tank ODI in collaboration with Transport & Environment. The data measures the carbon impact of passenger flights and air freight, covering the emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from 1,300 airports internationally.

It found that in 2019 (the most recently available data), London’s six airports generated 27 million tonnes of CO2, 8,900 tonnes of NOx, and 83 tonnes of PM2.5 – that’s the same amount of air pollution emitted by 3.23 million cars. Heathrow, the city’s main airport, alone produced 19.1 million tonnes of carbon and 5,844 tonnes of NOx, making it the second-most polluting airport in the world.

Top of that list is Dubai International in the UAE, which hosted last year’s COP28 conference. The airport’s emissions were equivalent to those of five coal plants, with the highest amount of carbon (20.1 million tonnes), nitrous oxide (7,531 tonnes), and fine particulate matter (71 tonnes) pollution globally.

The aviation sector needs to close the decarbonisation gap

Estimates suggest that the aviation sector accounts for between 4.4 and 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions (including carbon dioxide). These numbers have doubled since 1987, and grown by 4-5% every year since 2010.

The 2024 Airport Tracker shines a light on airports, revealing that the 20 largest airports in the world collectively produced as many emissions as 58 coal-fired power stations in 2019. And in terms of cities affected most by air pollution from aviation, Tokyo is sandwiched between London and Dubai at the top of the list.

Purely in terms of carbon emissions, apart from Heathrow and Dubai, the top 10 airports with the highest footprint are Los Angeles, Hong Kong, John F Kennedy (New York), Incheon (Seoul), Charles de Gaulle (Paris), Frankfurt, Pudong (Shanghai), and Changi (Singapore).

The report revealed that current reporting standards focus on the climate impact of airport terminals and ground operations, but ignore the impact of flight emissions on airports, which is much larger. This creates three problems: airports can obfuscate their contribution to the climate crisis and local air pollution; emissions reduction efforts are centred around important, but much lower-impact aspects (like running terminals on renewable energy); and airports can paradoxically claim carbon neutrality by purchasing offsets.

“Airports are long-term infrastructure, so choices now affect climate and air quality far into the future,” said Sam Pickard, a research associate at ODI. “More has to be done to recognise these impacts and limit expansion in many parts of the world.”

Magdalena Heuwieser, press officer at activist Stay Grounded, noted that aircraft noise levels are continuously exceeded, and EU standards are completely lacking on ultrafine particles, which are a major health hazard. “Some key measures must be taken immediately to protect the health of workers and communities surrounding airports – like night flight bans or simple jet fuel improvements to have at least the same standards as car fuel,” she said.

“This research shows the gaps in decarbonising aviation,” said Shandelle Steadman, senior research officer at ODI. “Airports aren’t reporting these emissions and often slip under the radar, but without tackling localised emissions at the airport level, the sector’s climate and health impact will only worsen; damaging our health, livelihoods and climate.”

The problem with sustainable aviation fuels

Globally, air pollution is considered to be the fourth-largest risk factor for human health and early death, contributing to the two leading causes of death worldwide: heart disease and stroke. In 2019 alone, it killed 6.7 million people, and the year before, it cost the European economy £166B ($210B).

“Pollution around airports is growing year on year,” said Jo Dardenne, aviation director at Transport & Environment. “It affects millions of people, who breathe in toxic emissions and develop health conditions as a result, yet policymakers are brushing the problem under the carpet.”

The research also highlighted the challenges of using SAF. In December, industry stakeholders and government officials from the UK hailed SAF as a game-changer for the aviation sector, after Virgin Atlantic operated the first transatlantic flight using 100% SAF. There was a lot of noise around it, considering that UK prime minister Rishi Sunak had (incorrectly) called it a net-zero flight.

US government guidelines state that SAFs must emit at least 50% less carbon than petroleum-based fuels. While the Virgin Atlantic flight – which was made from 88% waste fats (including from tallow) and corn sidestreams – was said to cut life-cycle emissions by 70%, the issue is with the supply. SAFs account for only 0.1% of all jet fuel used worldwide, and it’s three to five times more expensive to produce. Despite annual production tripling from 2021-22 to reach 300 million litres, it would need to reach 400 billion litres (over 1600 times more) by 2050 to allow the industry to decarbonise.

“The small starting base, cost differential, competition with other sectors and rate of scaleup required make it unlikely that SAFs will be available in the quantities needed to sufficiently substitute for fossil fuels to achieve meaningful emissions reductions,” the report suggests.

Moreover, some experts have questioned whether SAFs are truly sustainable. Dr Guy Gratton, associate aviation and environment professor at Cranfield University, told the BBC: “We can’t produce a majority of our fuel requirements this way because we just don’t have the feedstocks. And even if you do, these fuels are not true ‘net zeros’.”

Buying carbon offsets won’t help, either. To cut back on your personal impact, one study suggests you should eat less meat, noting that swapping 30% of beef, pork and chicken with whole foods and plant-based analogues from Impossible Foods (against a 2021 baseline) could save 728 million tons of CO2e annually, which is equal to nearly all global emissions from the aviation industry in 2022.

But really, until there are better tech solutions, there’s only one thing you can do – as Cait Hewitt, policy director of campaign group Aviation Environment Federation, puts it: “Fly less.”

“Exponential growth of the sector and airports is incompatible with their climate goals, especially considering the slow uptake of clean technologies,” said Dardenne. “The sector led us to believe that they would bounce back better after the pandemic. They’ve certainly bounced back – but without action, the sector’s climate and health impact isn’t going to get any better.”

The post London’s Six Airports Make It the World’s Worst City for Air Pollution from Flights appeared first on Green Queen.

Emirates Airlines will soon unveil new options as part of its ‘vegan vault’ of in-flight meals, taking its total offering of recipes to over 300. It comes after the carrier witnessed a 40% increase in demand for onboard plant-based dishes.

Emirates, which is one of two flag carriers of the UAE, has witnessed a surge of 40% in year-on-year consumption of plant-based meals (when adjusted for passenger volumes). To meet the growing demand, it will add a host of new recipes to what it calls its ‘vegan vault’, which has over 300 meal options overall.

In terms of absolute numbers, Emirates served over 450,000 vegan meals in 2023, versus 280,000 in 2022 – that’s an increase of over 60%, but when measured in line with passenger volumes, this changes to 40%. In some regions, though, consumption of vegan meals has exceeded the growth in traveller numbers – for example, the Middle East showed a significant additional hike of 34%, while Africa accounted for an extra 4%, and Southeast Asia an added 5%.

Major boosts in demand were also noted on Emirates routes to China, Japan and the Philippines, while the largest rise in vegan meal consumption occurred in Economy Class.

Championing local ingredients alongside global brands

The airline has an array of suppliers from all over the world, but also supports local ingredients. Its kale and lettuce come from Bustanica, the world’s largest hydroponic vertical farm, which was created as a joint venture investment through Emirates Flight Catering. At Bustanica, produce like arugula, mixed salad greens, and spinach are grown without pesticides, herbicides or chemicals. These leafy greens can be enjoyed in certain dishes by First and Business Class passengers.

Apart from that, the carrier sources plant-based proteins from Californian giant Beyond Meat, soy protein from Singapore and UAE-based Arlene, Qianye tofu (a pressed variety made from soy protein instead of whole soybeans) from Japan, organic dark vegan chocolate from Linnolat in France, plant-based margarine from MeisterMarken in Germany, vegan curry paste from Thailand-based Pantai, and almond milk from Italian brand Koita, among many others.

If you’re in Economy, you can enjoy dishes like chickpea crepe with carrot, peppers, mushroom and tomato concassé, textured pumpkin frittatas, tofu tikka masala, coconut mousse with mango compote and a chocolate pudding with cocoa soil. Premium Economy members can opt for meals such as jackfruit curry with basmati rice or a squash chestnut stew, followed by a chocolate tofu cheesecake or raspberry parfait with orange compote.

Travellers in Business Class have the choice between roasted cauliflower with ancient grains, caramelised pear and lovage pesto, or a warming ragout of Asian tofu and shitake mushroom with glass noodles. For dessert, think tropical coconut pineapple cake or a chocolate cheesecake with a dark chocolate cigar and strawberry compote.

Finally, Emirates elevates its plant-based culinary game even further with in-flight meals like polenta cake with thyme mushroom ragout, sautéed spinach and a root vegetable jus, or aubergine curry with charred rice, turmeric potatoes, and coconut and mint chutney. Plus, there are inviting sweet treats like rhubarb tempered with strawberry charlotte, Chantilly cream and raspberry tuille, or warm chocolate fondant with salted caramel sauce and whipped cashew cream.

Interest in vegan in-flight meals is sky-high

While its ‘vegan vault’ might be getting new recipes, Emirates has been offering plant-based meals since the 90s. At the time, requests for these dishes were focused on specific routes like Addis Ababa, where vegan meals are required at certain times of the year by those practising the Ethiopian Orthodox faith, and other regions where multiple faiths encourage plant-based diets.

However, the surge has been rapid in recent years, with vegan meals gaining popularity on the airline’s flights to and from the US, Australia, and some European and Asian nations. Particularly in the last decade, the carrier has noted a sizeable rise in interest towards vegan dishes. It’s not just passengers that have become more drawn towards this diet – many of its staff members are in the same boat, with the airlines introducing vegan food for its cabin crew in 2018.

In 2022, Emirates launched a gourmet vegan menu for First and Business Class to cater to passengers’ evolving demands, whether that was for vegan meals, or just a “healthy and light meal choice while travelling”. And later this year, Emirates will launch a selection of new vegan main courses, snacks, pizza, as well as desserts – including the likes of chocolate pecan cake, pistachio raspberry and raspberry tonka cake.

Emirates’ vegan push mirrors the direction of many other airlines. Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific is a leader in this space, offering a huge range of plant-based meals through partnerships with local businesses. Other carriers, like Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, American Airlines, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic, and Korean Air are just some of the flights where you can get a plant-based meal in certain classes though it’s worth noting that none of them has as extensive a menu for vegans as the Dubai-based flag carrier. Emirates flies high above the rest.

The post Vegan Vault: Demand for Plant-Based Meals Grows by 40% for Emirates Airlines appeared first on Green Queen.

British carrier Virgin Atlantic flew the first transatlantic flight using 100% ‘sustainable’ aviation fuel on Tuesday, in a move celebrated by the airline industry and government – but concerns have been raised about how sustainable this really is, in more ways than one.

People have been dreaming for a time they could fly without a guilty conscience – depending on who you ask, the aviation industry accounts for 4.4–5% of global greenhouse gas emissions (including carbon dioxide).

Now, if you’ll believe the UK’s Department for Transport (DfT) for a second, Virgin Atlantic could make that dream come true by making “guilt-free flying a reality”. The British carrier took off from London in the first transatlantic flight to use 100% ‘sustainable’ aviation fuel (SAF), landing in New York City. It was hailed as “the future of flying” by the DfT, who said marked “a milestone in decarbonising air travel”.

But is it really all that simple? Prime minister Rishi Sunak called the partly government-funded flight “net zero” on X (formerly Twitter) – a statement that was criticised and hit with community notes explaining that the flight “emits more carbon than it stores”, and that the government says “carbon credits will need to be purchased” because it isn’t net zero.

Holly Boyd-Boland, vice president of corporate development at Virgin Atlantic, intimated as much, telling Sky News that “this isn’t a zero-emission flight”. This encapsulates the smoke-and-mirrors approach of this story: it’s a feat being celebrated by trade and government representatives, but campaigners are calling it out as unsustainable (both environmentally and viably).

Is it just more PR and good old green— sorry, travel-washing?

Why Virgin Atlantic’s SAF flight is a landmark

Virgin Atlantic’s flight VS100 is the result of a year of testing with engine manufacturer Rolls Royce, fuel supplier BP, with the UK government chipping in £1M for the project. Operating under special dispensation with no paying customers, the flight was fully powered by 50 tonnes of SAF.

SAFs can be made from a range of ingredients, including corn, animal fat, algae, sewage and municipal waste. As per US government guidelines, these must emit at least 50% less carbon than petroleum-based fuel. The one used for Virgin Atlantic’s Boeing 787 employed a blend of 88% waste fats (including from tallow) and the rest from corn production sidestreams in the US.

The flight was said to cut life-cycle emissions by 70% – so not net zero, but a significant reduction nonetheless. The aviation industry views SAF as a cornerstone to fulfil its commitment of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. This is because it’s a fuel that can be used in existing planes so it doesn’t require special engines or aircraft modifications.

So far, regulators have allowed carriers to use a maximum of 50% of SAF in their engines. Virgin Atlantic says its flight shows that these alternative fuels can be a safe replacement for kerosene-based jet fuel. Its co-founder Sir Richard Branson (who was onboard) said: The world will always assume something can’t be done, until you do it. The spirit of innovation is getting out there and trying to prove that we can do things better for everyone’s benefit.”

Shai Weiss, the company’s CEO, added: “It’s the only viable solution for decarbonising long-haul aviation. It’s taken radical collaboration to get here and we’re proud to have reached this important milestone, but we need to push further.”

That last line is important, given that the aviation sector is notoriously hard to decarbonise, as well as what followed: “There’s simply not enough SAF and it’s clear that in order to reach production at scale, we need to see significantly more investment. This will only happen when regulatory certainty and price support mechanisms are in place. Flight100 proves that if you make it, we’ll fly it.”

The supply issues for sustainable aviation fuels

The lack of availability is a big question mark for SAF. Currently, it makes up only 0.1% of all jet plane fuel used worldwide, and it’s three to five times more expensive to produce. This is despite annual production tripling from 2021-22 to reach 300 million litres – though what the industry really needs is 250 billion litres (over 700 times more than the current amount) for its net-zero ambitions.

As mentioned above, 88% of Virgin Atlantic’s SAF came from waste cooking oil, but the UK government is soon limiting its aviation use, believing it’s more useful for cars and lorries. This fuel was also imported from the US and the EU, as there are currently no dedicated plants to produce commercial SAF in the UK, but its government aims to have five under construction by 2025, supported by grants. The UK plans to have its airlines running on 10% SAF by 2030, as part of its Jet Zero goal for 2050.

But a report by the Royal Society Net Zero Aviation Policy earlier this year revealed that half of all British agricultural land – or over double its renewable electricity supply – would be needed to make sufficient amounts of SAF to meet these targets.

There are incentives from governments to increase the use of SAFs: in the US, the Inflation Reduction Act offers tax credits to airlines buying SAF, while the EU has enacted two laws mandating carriers to use these fuels, with companies needing to use 70% SAF by 2050.

Many are taking a pragmatic stance on SAFs, calling them a short-term plug-in until electric and hydrogen-powered alternatives are created. Professor Graham Hutchings of Cardiff University, who chaired the above report, told Sky News: “This Virgin flight is a good thing, it is important we use SAF and it is in the public mind. But we need to be very clear about the strengths, limitations, and challenges that must be addressed and overcome if we are to scale up the required new technologies in a few short decades.”

Even Branson admitted it would take a while before SAF was universally available, telling the BBC: “But you have to start somewhere. And if we didn’t prove it can be done, you would never, ever get sustainable aviation fuel.”

Why SAF isn’t as sustainable as airlines tell you

The way the government and aviation sector have presented the Virgin Atlantic flight has been criticised by campaigners concerned about the true climate impact of SAFs. “It’s a well-intentioned flight that’s been poorly executed and it’s been poorly executed because of a fuel that’s going into the plane,” Matt Finch, from the clean energy advocacy group Transport and Environment, told Sky News. “The fuel going in is just simply not sustainable.”

As Dr Guy Gratton, associate aviation and environment professor at Cranfield University, told the BBC: “We can’t produce a majority of our fuel requirements this way because we just don’t have the feedstocks. And even if you do, these fuels are not true ‘net zeros’.”

This was echoed by Tim Johnson, director of campaign group Aviation Environment Federation (AEF), who told the Financial Times that “the idea this is some landmark event that is going to revolutionise flying is clearly not the case”. He questioned whether current feedstocks used in SAFs are truly sustainable, sharing concerns about the land used for crops, the scalability of materials like animal fats or waste oils, and the amount of renewable energy required to produce cleaner fuels.

Scottish data scientist Hannah Ritchie expands on this issue in her newsletter, Sustainability by Numbers. “Putting food into cars is a poor use of land,” she explains. “The US is the world’s second-largest cereal producer. But only a fraction of that goes into human mouths. 44% goes to animal feed. And 44% to biofuels.”

Biofuels actually make up almost all of the US’s growth for corn demand – which would have been lower today than in 2000 if it weren’t for these fuels. Ritchie explains that the assumption that SAF is net zero has been challenged by a number of studies. “They estimate that biofuels have increased emissions, not decreased them. While these emissions are difficult to measure, the fact that there is even a credible debate as to whether they have made things worse or better suggests they’re not a great climate solution,” she writes.

This is why Cait Hewitt, policy director of the AEF, said: “The idea that this flight somehow gets us closer to guilt-free flying is a joke,” in response to the DfT’s comments. She accused the airline industry of being misleading consumers about SAF’s impact. Carriers like KLM (the Netherlands), Delta Air Lines (US) and Austrian Airlines have previously been sued over greenwashing.

Hewitt added that until there are better tech solutions, there’s only one way to cut our emissions from aviation: “Fly less.”

The post Travel-Washing: Aviation Industry Hails Virgin’s ‘Sustainable’ Jet Fuel Flight, But Is It Just Smoke & Mirrors? appeared first on Green Queen.

Nusantara, an Indonesian eatery by the world-renowned Locavore restaurant group in Bali, celebrates the indigenous dishes from around the archipelago in a spectacular vegan tasting menu that is not to be missed.

Locavore – which is about to open a new vegetarian restaurant and the second iteration of its flagship eatery (called Locavore NXT) in December – prides itself on sustainability, championing regional ingredients and local producers. It has regularly appeared on Asia’s Best 50 Restaurants List, winning the Sustainable Restaurant Award in 2019.

Nusantara is Locavore’s ode to Indonesia. Located in the centre of Ubud – the town on the foothills of rice fields, coffee plantations and all the greenery Bali has to offer – the restaurant is hard to miss. ‘Nusantara’ is Bahasa Indonesian for “archipelago”, signifying how the restaurant encompasses the flavours, atmosphere and culture of all the different islands and regions of Indonesia. The menu – dotted with dishes from across the country – emphasises this ethos.

Atmosphere and tailoring to vegans

The devil really is in the details with the eatery. They follow up on your booking to confirm your dietary preferences, while a second confirmation email is necessary to finalise your reservation. You can go à la carte or opt for the set menu – I did the latter. While it contains meat, the menu can be tailored to a vegan or vegetarian diet, with certain dishes that don’t appear on the full menu otherwise.

There’s a grill station at the entrance, where coconut husks are used as briquettes, with smoke providing a theatrical entrance experience. There are also whole coconut shells placed atop, which I later found out are used as soup bowls. There’s a red brick wall on the opposite side, and inside, wood is the name of the game. Even the lights are fitted in wooden blocks hanging from the ceiling. You can see parts of the kitchen while seated, and the atmosphere is lively and bustling – though (crucially) not so loud that you can’t hear yourself.

Like many fine-dining establishments on the island, you’ll need to get bottled still or sparkling water at Nusantara – no option for plain tap water. As part of the tasting menu, all dishes come together as it’s a family-style concept.

But to my very pleasant surprise, it starts with a bunch of little tasters to get you going. It comes with a wonderfully illustrated info card explaining what each snack is. There are nine items here. The sambal teri kacang (which contains fish) is subbed for a crispy potato option, the telor balado (a chicken egg) makes way for young papaya, the tahu (the local word for ‘tofu’) petis contains fish too and is swapped for a banana curry, while the shrimp paste is removed from the cemcem leaves (a local plant).

A delightfully diverse snack tray

The potatoes are moreish – think garlicky ultra-thin shoestring fries, paired with a sticky sauce that has a hint of a kick rounded out with a delicate sweetness. The cassava crackers have a sweet and spicy combination that really works with the lemongrass and lime leaves.

Next comes the deep-fried tapioca, one of the best parts of the entire meal. It’s doused in spicy kecap manis (Indonesia’s famed sweet soy sauce) that offers a wonderful contrast to the crispy root. From the outside, it’s gooey and sticky, but there’s a delectable crunch and a melt-in-your-mouth texture when you bite in. It reminds me of a very soft tapioca pearl bursting in your mouth, albeit with South Indian flavours.

The thinly shaved papaya layered on a skewer makes for a striking presentation. Its sweet background note balances out the chilli from the tapioca. The sauce itself is very light and complex. The tempeh feels like it has a base of tamarind (though there isn’t any) – continuing the sweet theme, elevated with strong earthy flavours from the salam leaves (Indonesian bay leaves).

The marinated pineapple is just that – sweet, pickled, a little spicy and simple. The banana curry, however, is magical – the banana isn’t sweet at all, and it’s braised in a gravy reminiscent of an oily North Indian dish heavy on garam masala. The cemcem leaves, meanwhile, are absolutely packed with flavour – pleasantly acidic, slightly sweet and powerfully floral (though I’m not a big fan of the chewy texture).

Emping are crackers made from the seeds of a local plant called melinjo. They aren’t as crunchy as you’d expect, but that’s how they’re supposed to be. The curry sauce really is packed with spices and complements the pleasantly bitter aftertaste of the crackers. However, don’t wait too long to eat these, as the sauce softens the emping rather quickly.

The snacks were a nice touch that prepped my palate for the Indonesian flavours that would continue with the mains.

The rice and sambal

The set menu comprises six mains, a side of rice, two sambals and dessert. The rice itself is maddeningly good. The grains are perfectly cooked and possess a nice bite, and while a delicate background of coconut and pandan helps (along with a whole dried chilli to boot), it’s the flavour of the rice that absolutely shines. I could eat it plain on its own.

Both sambals – Indonesian chilli pastes – are raw (as confirmed by the charming host) and have a base of shallots, garlic, chillies and candlenuts. The greenish-yellow sambal rapah, which hails from West Nusa Tengarra, is heavy on turmeric (both the root and leaves) and salt. In terms of the mouthfeel, this almost feels like a curry paste. It’s not too spicy, but definitely feels like something you need to complement other dishes with.

The Sumatran red sambal tuktuk, on the other hand, is much spicier, and comprises tomatoes, Sumatran Andaliman peppers, tomatoes and torch ginger. The texture is coarser and more palatable than the green sambal, as you can almost pick out the chilli skins. It’s also slightly astringent and not unlike a few other sambals I’ve tried, but I much prefer this one over the green.

Tempeh, tofu and all the vegetables in between

Next up: a local delicacy: moringa leaf soup, which is a standout both visually and flavour-wise. It’s served in those burnt whole coconuts I mentioned above – the soup is poured into these and reheated before being served. There’s such a brilliant contrast of textures at play here, with chunks of both young and aged coconut floating around. The longer the soup sits, the more coconutty it gets – and that can only ever be a good thing.

Oseng jantung pisang – the banana blossom dish – is loud. It’s heavy on soy and garlic, and all the better for it. It evokes memories of addictive takeaway stir-fries, with a fleeting sweetness at the back end. The leeks prove to be an excellent addition, and the sambals are not needed here– it works best on its own, with some rice.

Like the above, the water spinach dish – kangkung bunga pepaya – comes from Sulawesi and is soy-forward too, but with the garlic toned down and some added bitterness thanks to the papaya blossom and turmeric leaves. This dish is really pleasant and even better with rice and a dollop of the green sambal.

On to the tofu stir-fry, then. You know when you can taste a food’s freshness? Yeah, this tofu is spongy with a melt-in-your-mouth texture – but unlike silken tofu, which collapses – and has a light soy and chilli dressing to help it along. The true star, however, is the lemon basil, which amp up the refreshing quality of the dish. Have it with the red sambal to make it all the more worthwhile.

The tempeh feels like it’s braised in the same fat-forward and warmly spiced sauce the banana curry was cooked in. It’s quite heavy on its own, but the rice balances out the richness. This is one dish that works well with both sambals, but the green one takes the (soybean) cake – though I do have to say the portion felt almost excessive for a tasting menu. Just this tempeh and a side of rice could make for a light dinner.

Finally, there’s a jackfruit dish, gudek nangka, inspired by the Javanese city of Yogyakarta. Purely by appearance, you can tell it’s a complex dish. It’s young jackfruit braised with shallots, galangal, coriander seeds, salam leaves, palm sugar, coconut water and more salam leaves. It’s topped with a slab of fried tofu stewed in coconut milk. This dish has deep flavours and a hint of sweetness; the restaurant recommends that you eat it with one of the sambals, and it works fantastically with the green one.

A glorious dessert

I’m not a big fan of liquid desserts, but Nusantara’s take on the street food classic, Es Cendol, blew me away. It features a base of pandan-infused coconut milk sweetened with palm sugar, with floating bits of green rice flour jelly and ripe jackfruit. There’s something about the combination of pandan and coconut milk that makes this taste like kheer, which is a (usually) dairy-based Indian rice pudding that is typically cooked for a long time.

The jelly itself is pretty neutral in flavour; it’s present more for the texture. The mature yellow jackfruit is such a nice surprise – it’s sweet and chewy and succulent with notes of fermented apple and banana, reminiscent of the red papaya that comes in canned fruit cocktail (I mean this in the best way). Together, the brightness of the jackfruit, the creamy nuttiness of the coconut milk, and the texture of the grass really meld together so well. This is a marvellous dessert – which you might be able to tell by the fact I’ve used up two whole paragraphs to describe this.

Final thoughts on Nusantara

Nusantara is a special place to go for an area of Bali where you’re spoilt for choice. Of course, it’s upscale fine dining, and you’ll spend 10 times more than you would at a warung (the small family-owned eateries that dot Indonesian towns), but for 450,000 IDR (about $28) plus taxes, the quality, range and sheer amount of food is an absolute bargain anywhere and well worth the detour.

For me, the moringa soup, the banana blossom stir-fry, the braised tempeh, and dessert were the standouts. Note: if you’re not going for the set menu and have a sweet tooth, I would recommend trying Dadar Gulung, which are pandan-infused rice flour crepes filled with sweetened desiccated coconut.

I have to be honest: this was a lot of food for one person and I was almost uncomfortably (yet happily) full. These are very generous portions, so show up hungry! That said, Nusantara has a very diverse range of flavours and offers something for everyone – bar maybe the pineapple, everything is super inventive and nothing feels boring.

If you don’t have the time to visit the over 17,500 islands in Indonesia (and who does?), Nusantara is the ideal place to sample their diverse culinary identity (especially since the namesake city is the country’s would-be capital).

Nusantara by Locavore is located at Jl Dewisita No 09C, Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571. It’s open noon to 2:30pm and 6pm to 9:30pm on most days, and noon to 9:30pm on Mondays and Thursdays. Reservations are recommended.

The post Nusantara by Locavore, Bali Review: A Vegan Tasting Menu Fit for the Island of Gods appeared first on Green Queen.

Plant Sifu, Hong Kong’s first locally produced plant-based meat brand, has made impressive strides since launching in late 2021. Now, the food tech company has extended its partnership with the city’s flag carrier, Cathay Pacific, bringing its tasty plant-based pork range to even more travellers across the world.

The consumer-facing brand of Hong Kong foodtech company Good Food Technologies, Plant Sifu, made waves last year when it introduced its next-gen plant-based pork with patented AROMAX^TM fat technology after the parent company closed an oversubscribed HK$12.5M ($1.5M) seed funding round in early 2022. 

Since then, the brand has entered multiple foodservice locations in Hong Kong, showcasing its products at seven of the city’s most reputable Chinese restaurants, before extending its footprint with a partnership at Cafe de Coral-owned Shanghainese chain Shanghai Lao Lao in April. The soup dumpling and fresh noodle chain launched a green plant-based menu featuring Plant Sifu’s pork in all 12 of its locations, marking the first fully vegan menu by the restaurant. The four dishes were so successful that they have become a permanent addition. Additionally, the Asian plant-based brand launched with Fairwood (Hong Kong’s second largest Chinese fast-food chain with 100+ outlets), Nosh (the city’s leading meal delivery service provider), and recently returned to IKEA in Hong Kong and Macau in the form of plant-based siu mai.

But perhaps Plant Sifu’s most notable link-up is with Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong’s national carrier and a pioneer in food innovation in the airline industry. In July, the two companies collaborated to debut in-flight meals containing Plant Sifu’s plant-based pork.

Plant Sifu in the sky

“Cathay Pacific is not only a global top 10 airline, but also one of Hong Kong’s best-recognised enterprises for culinary innovation and quality,” Joshua Ng, co-founder of Good Food Technologies, told Green Queen in August. “Our ‘taste-first’ and localised approach in product development separated us early on to secure this key partnership,” added co-founder Dr Andrew Leung.

Now, the two brands have extended their link-up with a six-month trial that will see more meals containing the vegan pork appear on the Economy and Premium Economy menus of select long-haul Cathay Pacific flights. These include routes departing from Hong Kong and rotating across North America, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Chefs from the carrier’s Culinary Design team created Chinese and Asian dishes by using all formats of Plant Sifu’s pork, including mince and bites. Think braised egg tofu with pork mince and shiitake mushrooms, and wok-fried mince with Thai basil, morning glory and vegetarian sambal.

“Plant Sifu is proud to be Cathay Pacific’s selected partner to serve their Premium Economy and Economy class globally,” said Ng. “This is also a first for Hong Kong food innovation with global impact.”

The collaboration is part of Cathay Pacific’s wider Greener Together strategy, which aims to achieve carbon neutrality and battle climate change. In August, it worked with Hong Kong vegetarian restaurant Veda, part of the Ovolo Hotel Group, to create 16 meat-free dishes for the carrier’s in-flight menu.

It was part of Cathay Pacific’s ‘The difference is in the detail‘ campaign, which aims to elevate its in-flight dining experiences and improve its wellness and sustainability credentials, as well as supports its long-term partnership with Hong Kong environmental charity The Green Earth, helping travellers “make better lifestyle choices for the planet”.

In February of this year, Cathay Pacific launched a First and Business Class menu with Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant Duddell’s, also one of Plant Sifu’s partners.

Contributing to a healthier, more sustainable planet

Plant Sifu began by focusing on cleaner plant-based alternatives catering to Asian diets and cooking applications, starting with pork and dim sum. All Plant Sifu products are free from MSG, preservatives, refined sugar, and genetic modification. The secret to its superior juiciness and texture? The company’s fat tech AROMAX^TM. “After extensive research with chefs, it was clear that pork fat and lard are quintessential ingredients in Chinese and Asian recipes,” said Leung.

“However, they come along with health hazards of high fat and high cholesterol commonly associated with heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Therefore, our team went on to invent AROMAX^TM  – using konjac gelatin structures locked with flavours and aromas to mimic fatty pork.”

In terms of sustainability, the brand claims that independent life-cycle assessments have shown that its meat products use at least 75% fewer resources compared to their conventional counterparts, and are hence more planet-friendly.

Working with Cathay Pacific extends its mission to “feed the world sustainably”. Plant Sifu truly is soaring – both figuratively and literally.

This is a Green Queen Partner Post.

The post Plant Sifu is Flying High: Hong Kong Plant-Based Pork Maker Partners with Cathay Pacific for In-Flight Meals appeared first on Green Queen.

Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific has introduced 16 new dishes to menus on select long-haul flights, in partnership with local vegetarian restaurant Veda, part of the Ovolo Hotel Group. Running until June 2024, the range of meals is inspired by cuisines from North Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and is part of Cathay’s efforts to lower its carbon footprint.

Two years ago, Cathay Pacific announced its commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. In a move that pushes the airline further towards that goal, Cathay’s partnership with Ovolo – the world’s first hotel group to go fully vegetarian – comes after several rounds of experimenting and taste tests.

Veda, Ovolo’s acclaimed vegetarian restaurant, is helmed by executive chef Raul Tronco Calahorra. He worked with Cathay’s culinary team to develop dishes that work just as well at high altitudes as they do on the ground. And it wasn’t as straightforward as transferring Veda’s dishes to in-flight meal trays.

The challenges of designing high-altitude meals

“Designing a meal to be enjoyed at 30,000 feet comes with its challenges,” says Tronco Calahorra. “I had to consider everything from how tastebuds are affected at altitude, to cooking techniques.” A 2010 study by Lufthansa found that the combination of dry air and low pressure reduces our tastebuds’ sensitivity to sweet and salty foods by 30%. Around 80% of our perceptions of taste are due to smell – but the dryness at high altitudes impedes our odour receptors, which makes food taste bland.

This is why airline dishes need to be more strongly flavoured than those served at ground level, and Cathay Pacific said its culinary team worked together with Tronco Calahorra to set optimum seasoning levels for the new plant-forward meals.

The other issue is volume. “I needed to adapt my recipes to include ingredients that could consistently be sourced for potentially thousands of meals a day,” the Veda executive chef explains. “Can they get the same paneer I’m using, or the same tofu? The challenge isn’t the mass production – you can get a big pot and cook 1,000 litres of a sauce – but the assembly.”

And since cooking methods on plans are limited due to space, most of the food is prepared in Cathay Pacific Catering Services’ kitchens near its Hong Kong International Airport base.

The Premium Economy and Economy menus

All this has led to the creation of a menu that adapts some dishes from Veda’s menu, and features some completely new ones. While Veda is famous for its meat-free Indian food, the 16 dishes take inspiration from international cuisines, available in Premium Economy and Economy on select long-haul and ultra-long-haul flights from Hong Kong.

The Premium Economy menu has dishes like hummus with harissa-roasted cauliflower and pickled red onions, Keralan-style coconut curry with vegetables and cumin rice, roasted vegetable tagine with halloumi and pearl couscous, and Panang dry curry tofu with cashews and coconut rice. In Economy, you’ll find the likes of purple quinoa tabbouleh, Mediterranean potato salad, northern Thai classic Khao soi, as well as paneer makhani with cumin rice.

This isn’t Cathay Pacific’s first foray into plant-based and meat-free dining. In 2019, it became just the second airline globally to serve vegan meat on its in-flight menu (after Air New Zealand), teaming up with Hong Kong alt-meat giant OmniPork. And last month, it introduced meals containing plant-based pork by fellow Hong Kong brand Plant Sifu, famous for its konjac-based dumplings and dim sum.

“Cathay Pacific is not only a global top 10 airline, but also one of Hong Kong’s best-recognised enterprises for culinary innovation and quality,” Joshua Ng, co-founder of Plant Sifu’s parent company Good Food Technologies, tells Green Queen. “Our ‘taste-first’ and localised approach in product development separated us early on to secure this key partnership,” adds co-founder Dr Andrew Leung.

A step towards sustainability

While Hong Kong’s national flag carrier has previously offered plant-forward meals that didn’t need to be pre-selected, the new dishes offer passengers an even broader selection. “We want to ensure we are doing our bit to help preserve our environment, promote healthy eating and enhance the image of amazing vegetarian and plant-based dining,” says Ovolo founder Girish Jhunjhnuwala. “Our collaboration with Cathay Pacific aligns perfectly with this mantra and our Plant’d pledge, and our wider ‘Do Good. Feel Good.’ sustainability commitment.”

The collaboration is part of Cathay Pacific’s ‘The difference is in the detail‘ campaign, which aims to elevate its in-flight dining experiences and enhance its wellness and sustainability credentials and supports its long-term partnership with Hong Kong environmental charity The Green Earth, helping travellers “make better lifestyle choices for the planet”.

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Sustainable travel has never been easier. Food tours are a massive part of the travel industry – and now, many cities around the world offer day-long walking experiences for vegans and vegetarians. Here are six where you can enjoy the local fare without meat.

I don’t know about you, but there are two things I always really want to do when I’m on a holiday: go to the highest point of a city and take in the views, and check out all the local food. The latter has become tougher since I’ve been vegan, but there are a growing number of kind people who are helping me have my dream vacations.

These people take you to the best food spots in the city, where you can eat what locals eat. Whether that is automatically plant-based or has been made veggie, it all still tastes like it’s meant to. And all that aside, who doesn’t just love a good food tour?

Seville Vegan Tours

Runs Tuesday to Friday, €65 per person

Known for its incredible art, gushing buildings and romantic vibes, the Andalusian city of Seville has its very own vegan tour, where you can try out local Spanish favourites while taking in the history of your surroundings.

Seville Vegan Tours‘ walk starts at the Mercado de Triana and lasts 3.5 hours, taking you to four spots to try six different plant-based tapas (yes, you’ll get tortillas). There are also two local drinks: don’t miss out on the tinto de verano – it might have been exploding on the internet this summer, but Spaniards have been drinking it since the early 20th century.

The experience is a nod to the tradition of tapeo, which “consists of meeting friends to spend the afternoon sampling the tapas of different bars in a specific area of Seville”. Gastronomy is deeply rooted in Andalusian culture, and Seville Vegan Tours wants you to witness it.

Frying Pan Dubai

Price and availability on request

So what if traditional Middle Eastern food is meat-heavy, completed with some of the world’s best produce? In Dubai, Frying Pan runs with the latter to offer a vegetarian version of its signature Middle Eastern food tour.

Frying Pan takes you away from the glitzy hotels Dubai has become famous for, instead putting you at the heart of Old Dubai. During the tour, you can feast on koshari, fatayer, stuffed falafels, foul medames and Egyptian crépes.

Desserts are, of course, part of the parcel. There are some classic sweet treats you get to try on this tour: kunafa, baklava, data paste bars, vegan-cream-dipped pistachio cookies and saffron ice cream. (You can turn the last one into a falooda too!)

Eat Like a Local Mexico

Runs Monday to Friday, $110 per person

Home to Mexico City’s creative and culinary enclave, the Bohemian-inspired Roma Norte neighbourhood has loads of green spaces, museums, uber-hip mezcalerias and eateries – something for everyone. It’s also home to Mexico City’s vegan food tour, Eat Like a Local, which is a four-hour experience for plant-based culinary enthusiasts.

You begin at La Condesa, the city’s main square, for coffee and concha (a traditional sweet bread), followed by vegan tacos on the streets. Then you head to the famous flower market, Mercado Jamaica, for more street food and fresh produce.

Next, you visit a 100-year-old pulqueria to learn how the alcoholic drink is made, and sample curados (pulque with fruits). The tour ends either with ice cream at Condesa, lasting over 15 tastings and three pulque flavours. You truly do eat like a local.

A Mad Food Tour, Hong Kong

September 7 & 14, 575 HKD ($73.5) per person

In this Asian vegetarian food tour, Simran Savlani, author of the cookbook A Spark of Madness, takes you to some of Hong Kong’s quaint and hidden spots. The walk has drinks, food and a lot of conversation about it.

The one-off tours will be in Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan and Sai Ying Pun neighbourhoods this September. Hong Kong’s street food scene is legendary, so going with somebody in the know makes your life a lot easier. The tour promises visits to the island’s famed dai pai dongs (food stalls) and cha chaan tengs (Hong Kong-style diners).

Expect dumplings, bánh mìs, egg tarts, cheung fun and loads and loads of noodles.

Eat Like a Local South Africa

Price and availability upon enquiry

Not the same company, but Cape Town’s very own food tour company offers a plant-based walking tour – a first for the city. The four-hour tour by Eat Like a Local operates on a private basis, making it all the more exclusive.

You start at Mustacchio Cafe on Kloof Street, the first of seven food establishments on the tour. Alongside the food at both iconic and hidden eateries, you’ll learn about Cape Town’s architecture and history too. There’s tea, coffee and kombucha, and tours with alcohol are also available, which will involve local beer and wine.

You’ll be able to have plant-based spins on local dishes like mushroom biltong (traditionally a dried cured meat), samoosas, koeksisters (fried plaited dough in syrup), vetkoeks and roosterkoeks (both types of bread). These are interspersed with some stunning global-inspired dishes, making it a truly complete experience.

Vegan Vacation Time, Florence

Runs Monday to Saturday, €90 per person

A three-hour walk in the Tuscan capital, surrounded by gastronomic wonders that have taken the world by storm? It’s hard to resist this plant-based food tour in Florence.

Vegan Vacation Time is a Tuscany-dedicated website for plant-based holidays, which organises food and wine tours, as well as cooking classes and dinners for vegans. The food tour starts near the Grom gelato store on Via delle Oche – upon meeting, you have a cappuccino and vegan pastries to begin your day.

Vegan versions (whether automatically or tailored) of local food all feature too – think breads, pizza, cheese, salami, vinegars and olive oil – leading you to a plant-based bistro. Come for the wine tasting, stay for more Italian food (Tuscan bean soup, anyone?), and go along for the vegan gelato to end your morning on a high.

And then, it’s lunchtime.

The post 6 Vegan & Vegetarian Food Tours Where You Can Eat Like a Local appeared first on Green Queen.

Following covid, travellers are shifting towards ‘planet-first’ destinations and meaningful eco-travel experiences.

Globally, aviation accounts for around 2.5 percent of carbon emissions and 1.9 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, reports Booking.com.

The Sustainable Travel Report, released late last year, looked at data from 30,314 individuals across 32 countries and territories who had travelled in the last 12 months and who had plans to travel in the year ahead.

The following themes are expected to reshape the travel industry:

1. Sustainable properties will win out

Seventy-eight percent of global travellers revealed that they intend to look for low-impact properties to stay in. This could include locations that feature rainwater harvesting, ground pump heating systems or were built using sustainable materials. 46 percent of participants claimed to have already stayed at such a property, in the last year. 

2. Climate impact is a consideration when booking a holiday

More than 70 percent of travellers say they will make a concerted effort to put sustainability at the forefront of their next holiday choice. This relates to destination, travel methodology, property stayed in and experiences booked, whilst away. The figure has increased by 10 percent from 2021. 

3. Sustainable luxury will become an important niche

The survey shows that 27 percent of travellers assume that sustainable destinations won’t be as luxurious as they want. Comfort levels are cited as a concern. It is reasonable to expect resorts to cotton on to this stereotypical way of thinking before myth-busting. Five-star luxury sustainable accommodation is likely to become a trend, potentially via social media, with travellers looking to get involved as it takes off in popularity.

4. Off-peak will become the new peak

Fifty percent of travellers admit that readily available information about climate change has made them rethink when they leave their home country. An emerging trend is exploring during off-peak seasons, to avoid overcrowding and lessen the impact on host destinations. Thirty-three percent of survey participants said they have already travelled during less popular times, to avoid crowds. Sixty-four percent noted they are willing to avoid popular destinations and attractions, to prevent impactful tourism.

5. Cultural immersion will overtake lazy beach days

Forty-five percent of travellers say they see learning about local cultures as key to sustainable travel. This is supported by 66 percent of people wanting to have ‘authentic’ experiences that give insight into local culture and customs, away from exaggerated tourist attractions. 

6. Stewardship of places visited will become second nature

More than half (59 percent) of people surveyed claim they want to leave a destination better than when they arrived. Injecting capital into local economies will be a key driver to making this a reality. Twenty-five percent of respondents said they would be happy to pay more for holiday experiences if they knew that local communities would directly benefit. 

A stumbling block to community stewardship is accessibility. More than 30 percent of travellers say they have no idea how to find activities or tours that would positively impact local spaces. Almost the same number (32 percent) of people would enjoy travel companies making suggestions of things to do that will support native communities.

7. Responsibility and relaxation will go hand-in-hand

‘Getting away from it’ will no longer mean shirking all responsibility when in a foreign country. Nearly 30 percent of survey respondents said they feel travellers have a responsibility to reduce the negative effects of tourism. Destruction of natural habitats, overcrowding of popular hot spots and increases in waste will all be tackled by conscious exploration.

8. Travel methods will no longer be a negligible part of the holiday experience

More than half (51 percent) of travellers surveyed said they consider low or zero carbon emissions while they reach a destination as a key facet of sustainable travel. Electric rental cars and public transport use are likely to increase in holiday destinations. 

Reaching foreign countries will still mostly rely on commercial flights, but attitudes to this are changing. Thirty percent of people feel ashamed to fly because its impact on the environment is well documented. Forty percent actively seek out sustainability information, such as carbon offsetting initiatives. 

9. Far away destinations won’t be an automatic go-to

Even if domestic travel doesn’t take off quite yet, travelling a little less further afield looks set to become a trend. Twenty-three percent of survey participants already chose to holiday closer to home and 33 percent would be willing to do so specifically for a smaller carbon footprint. Fifty-seven percent acknowledged they are happy to look at closer destinations in the future, especially if travel companies showcase locations in closer proximity.

10. Sustainability will filter in as a standard consideration

So far, actively looking to include sustainable credentials during the holiday selection process remains non-unilateral. Thirty-six percent of people say that travel platforms need to highlight sustainability information so that it can play a more active role in decision making. A filter specifically for sustainable locations would be helpful, according to 34 percent of people surveyed. This offers future scope for destinations to be labelled with carbon emission information, just as food is starting to be.

The post 10 Trends Shaping Eco Travel: Exploration Meets Ethics appeared first on Green Queen.

Veteran traveler Rebecca Gade Sawicki is the founder of vegan travel planning blog Veggies Abroad. She shares her expert tips on how to plan the perfect vegan holiday itinerary.

“What in the world did you eat?” 

“Did you bring all of your own food?”

“Were you always hungry?”

Those were only a few of the many questions I used to get asked when people would find out that a
long-time vegan was leaving the comforts of home to explore the world. For a long time, traveling as a
vegan wasn’t the culinary affair it is today. The thought of finding delicate crepes filled with mouth-
puckering lemon curd or anything covered in creamy cheese was out of the question. 

Luckily, times have changed.

In some cities, veganism is ubiquitous; in others, well, let’s say it requires a bit more effort, and that’s
where I thrive. As an avid vegan traveler, blogger, and advisor, I’m a bit monomaniacal about finding all
the best vegan things, from over-the-top desserts to feather-free pillows where I can rest my head and
everything in between. So, if you haven’t mastered the art of vegan vacay planning, I’ll let you in on my
secrets — here’s how I plan the most epic vegan adventures that will make even meat-eaters jealous. 

How to Plan a Perfect Vegan Holiday Itinerary

1) Head to Google first

So you’ve found an airfare deal, or you’re finally taking the leap and heading to your dream destination;
now what? Fire up Google and start searching!

I will spend at least a few hours looking for restaurants, shops, and markets — I consider those my
vegan big three. From there, I’ll investigate if the destination is well-known for specific food or drinks —
more often than not, you can find vegan versions of those famous culinary pursuits. For instance, if
you’re heading to Portland, get ready for a vegan donut sugar high, or in Paris, you’ll be able to eat your
body weight in buttery golden vegan pastries (I wouldn’t recommend it, but you could)!

If you were worried about missing out, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised that more likely than not,
you’ll find plenty of things to savor.

2) Vegan & eco-friendly accommodations exist 

You don’t have to settle for a hotel whose only vegan option is a banana! Around the world, you’ll find
vegan and eco-friendly accommodations, along with fully vegan B&Bs and hotels — how amazing would
it be to wake up to a vegan breakfast feast? 

Even if you can’t find a fully vegan spot, finding one conscious of having plant-based options on its
menus and taking steps to support Mother Nature is a great place to go! You can usually find options by
looking through a hotel’s website, but if you’re not finding anything, send them a note and ask. If they
hear from visitors that options affect their choice to stay, it incentivizes them to change — after all,
many companies aren’t going to make these changes unless they know there is consumer demand.  

3) Lookout for ethical & cruelty-free tours or activities 

From vegan street food tours in Italy to ethical wildlife viewing, plenty of options exist to explore the
world cruelty-free! 

Vegan food tours are a little easier to find in larger cities (sometimes regular tours will have vegan
options, just read the fine print), but if you cannot find one, make your own! Remember all that
Googling we did? Use that to plan out your own mini food tour — you can go at your own pace and
check out other sights along the way. 

When it comes to wildlife, this can get tricky, as it’s not always clear if the company is acting in the
animals’ best interest. A few red flags include experiences where you can hold the animal (think baby
tigers), baiting fish or sharks while snorkeling, animal riding, or anything that provides a 100% guarantee
that you will see a specific animal. It’s critical to choose companies and tour operators that prioritize the
animal’s welfare and the animal can remain in its natural habit, undisturbed by humans. 

When searching for activities, look for ones in partnership with major conservation organizations, also
sanctuaries can be a good option — but not all sanctuaries are created equal. Make sure you check
them out before you go (look for those red flags here too). If you’re ever in doubt, trust your gut. 

4) Be chatty!

Don’t be shy when you’re checking out vegan shops and restaurants; talk to locals! These folks can be
your best vegan travel guides and share info you might not find on Google, like new restaurant openings
or spots that aren’t worth a visit. Based on the recommendations of locals, I’ve adjusted countless
itineraries, and it’s always been worth it!  

5) Make Google Maps your travel buddy

Now that you have a laundry list of things you want to eat, see, and do, you need to turn to Google
Maps to keep it all organized. I pin all of the restaurants, bakeries, ice cream spots, stores, etc., on
Google Maps to help plan my daily itinerary, and it’s also helpful if you get hungry while you’re out and
about — you can just open up the map and see what’s near you!
Make sure to download the map while you’re on wifi, in case your cell service isn’t great.

6) Ask for expert help when you get stuck or don’t have the time

Travel planning isn’t for everyone, and sometimes it can be a lot of work, especially if you want to create
a unique experience; in that case, turn to a vegan travel planning expert, me! Whether you want to
book a short vegan-friendly getaway in the UK or marvel at elephants on a carbon-neutral safari, I can
help!

Travel can enlighten our perspective, and it can support local communities and businesses that are
working to protect our environment. As an advisor, it is my goal to use travel as a tool for good. Let me
plan your dream getaway (and no, you don’t have to be vegan)!

Learn more at Veggies Abroad.

The post I Planned the Perfect Vegan Holiday; Here’s How appeared first on Green Queen.