Veganism is now creeping into our travel with the rise of the vegan hotel

There’s no hiding from it. Veganism is the buzzword of the moment, the diet de jour and it feels like it’s creeping into every space from fine dining to your local bakery.

So, it’s perhaps no surprise that vegan travel is also on the up, with more meat-free, dairy-free accommodation popping up around Australia.

Peter Logan set-up VegTrip in 2013 but says there’s been an explosion in interest in the last two years, with Australia being one of the biggest markets.

He told us that vegan luxury and vegan retreats are currently hot with Aussies, both on home soil and in Japan and Thailand.

Peter also added: “When we started our site four years ago, most the hotels that we added were locations that had been vegetarian for a long time. Now we are seeing more and more newly started hotels just for vegans popping up.

“And it’s also become much easier to travel as a vegan in just the past two or three years. Most hotels now offer vegan or at least, vegetarian options, for breakfast and it’s getting easier and easier to find restaurants thanks to services like HappyCow.”

For many, a holiday free of meat products might seem a little un-Australian, with the BBQ once being at the core of the vacation experience.

But there’s no denying it, veganism has gripped Australia, with new figures saying that in 2016 there was a 30 percent increase in those identifying themselves as vegan.

Nikki Medwell runs Bed and Broccoli,  Australia’s first vegan B&B found in Victoria, and says there’s been an incredible increase in interest in the last year.

She told Elsewhere: “We’ve found a real difference in the last year or so. People are much more open to veganism and even want to learn more about it.

“We are not only taking more bookings, even mid-week bookings, but are catering for more functions, including weddings and birthdays.”

Interestingly, she reveals that vegans have been gifting their meat-eating pals to weekends away at the B&B to try and convert them into a life of plant-based eating,

She adds: “We’ve found that vegans have been looking to give their pre-vegan friends weekend packages to experience the normalcy of co-existing with animals, and give them exposure to healthy, tasty and filling food.”

View at the Beet Retreat

Nikki isn’t the only one offering a rustic retreat in Australia. There’s the Beet Retreat in the Yarra Valley, Byron’s Organic Cottage and Forest Haven Bed and Breakfast in Victoria, to name a few.

But there’s also an increase in Aussies travelling to Asia, especially Thailand, for a slice of plant-eating luxury.

The Pavana in Chiang Mai offers luxe bungalows, massage and tennis courts but no vegan alcohol (it’s a thing) so you’ll have to go teetotal for this experience, and packages start at $1200.

The Pavana offers luxury vegan breaks

But it’s not just vegan hotels which are popping up, in September, the world’s first ever vegan cruise will set sail around Europe, with just over a 1,000 guests already paid-up and raring to go.

Organisers of the cruise said: “Guests can expect a series of informative lectures, tantalizing cooking classes and poolside socialising.”

Well, nothing says holiday like informative lecture. Let’s hope there’s some vegan wine to get the party started…