Responsible tourism has been a buzzword for years, but sustainable food hasn’t attracted the same attention until now.
Farm-to-table restaurants, sustainable food tours, and selling local food systems took a back seat as the tourism industry struggled to recover from the pandemic. But experts believe that 2024 may be the year that sustainable food becomes the main driving force of tourism. .
Nearly eight in 10 respondents (79%) in a study conducted by Harris Interactive and foodservice watchdog Sodexo say adopting more sustainable behaviors is an “urgent” issue.
Sodexo sees those effects as a call to action.
“Our ambition is to set the entire ecosystem in motion to accelerate real change,” says Sophie Bellon, Sodexo’s CEO.
Change is already happening. Travelers are clamoring for sustainable food, even if they struggle to delineate precisely what sustainable means. There are many examples of sustainable food practices and there are tactics for sustainable eating.
And 2024 may be the year this happens.
Harvesting cherry tomatoes in a greenhouse. Travelers want more sustainable food this year.
The appetite for sustainable food is greater than ever, especially among travelers.
Katy Hoogerwerf, holistic nutrition representative and CEO of Good Trips, a Netherlands-based company that specializes in SustainableArray, says she’s been busier than ever helping her customers find sustainable food in their products.
“There is a demand for sustainability,” he says.
Viator, the excursion platform, reports that in its sustainable food excursions it ranks highly. Topping the list: a sustainable chocolate tour in Zurich, Switzerland, an urban agriculture tour in Montreal, and a sustainable wine tour in Sonoma, California.
Talk to travel insiders, and they’ll tell you that people are asking for sustainability — whether they’re at an ecolodge in Ecuador or on a cruise ship in the Antarctic. But what does sustainability even mean?
Composting after a meal. Travelers want to ensure their meals are sustainable.
When traveling, sustainable food means opting for food characteristics that are smart for the environment and local communities. Here’s how to know if your nutrition is sustainable:
“If we look at the chain as a whole, it’s all about the local farmers and the local family-run restaurants, which support the local economy and tourism,” says Kuba Neuman, trainer at Bohemian Adventure. “This type of food is usually very fresh, as it doesn’t want to be transported or stored for a long time. “
A plate of new veggies, mushrooms and bread from a farmer’s market, cloth bags instead of. . . [ ] plastic.
Sustainability systems are ubiquitous in the tourism industry.
Beach hotels like Aurora Anguilla offer sustainable food through their own hydroponic farm. Aurora, situated on 380 acres on the Caribbean island, has six on-site restaurants and lounges. Use herbs, fruits, and vegetables grown on-site. Create special dinners where you can dine under the stars while enjoying the food grown in the hotel.
Cruise lines are also committed to sustainability. For example, Holland America Line’s new Global Fresh Fish program gets new fish from pole to plate within 48 hours across its fleet. The program emphasizes traceability. In Alaska, the cruise line even earned Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) certification for its sustainable, traceable Alaskan wild seafood. This year, the show also enlisted the help of world-renowned chef Masaharu Morimoto to launch his first independent dining spot. at sea, Morimoto across the sea, aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam.
One of the oldest sustainability systems in tourism is the Alentejo Wine Sustainability Program. Created in 2014, it is the first program of its kind in Portugal. ” It has grown to have more than 425 wineries and nearly 50% of all winelands. ” says J. H. Simoes, spokesperson for the Alentejo region in Portugal. Specifically, the program helped wineries reduce their average water consumption by 20%. Some wineries used up to 14 liters of water to produce 1 liter of wine. As a component of the program, they reduce their water consumption to just 6 liters.
Some sales options are overcoming the barriers of sustainability. For example, restaurants like Bloempot in Lille, France, only serve produce grown nearby, meaning there’s no coffee on the menu.
“Innovative restaurants like Salt Budapest, which has created a biodegradable dish made from hemp and mycelium, are driving the vision of what it means to be sustainable in the kitchen,” adds Michelle Arellano Martín, founder of the sustainable platform Travara.
Sustainable food in biodegradable bowls.
But how can you find sustainable food while traveling?With so many hotels and restaurants claiming to be eco-friendly, it’s not easy. And there’s no way to know for sure, unless you accompany the chef to the market. But here are some tactics for finding more sustainable food.
Before you leave for your trip, do some research on sustainable restaurants and markets in the area you’ll be visiting. Websites like HappyCow and Green Restaurant Association can help you find sustainable options. Even a quick search for “sustainable restaurants near me” will list restaurants that claim to be sustainable, says Debbie Misajon, founder of The Coconut Traveler, a site that specializes in sustainable travel. “You’ll find restaurants that are doing their part,” she adds.
Eating plant-based meals is one of the most sustainable choices you can make. Look for vegetarian and vegan restaurants, or choose plant-based options when dining out. “The increase in vegan and plant-based options caters not just to vegan travelers but also to those who are environmentally conscious and interested in reducing their carbon footprint through their dietary choices,” says Bianca Joswiak, publisher of Vegane-Hotels.de, a platform highlighting hotels with vegan and sustainable food options.
Establishments with labels such as Certified Humane, Fair Trade or USDA Organic can be a sign of sustainable practices. These may involve that the dining place or cafeteria adheres to express standards, ensuring that you are served an ethically sourced meal.
When you’re planning to dine out, look online for menus that use local and seasonal ingredients. As I mentioned earlier, these options are often more sustainable because they require less transportation and refrigeration.
Assortment of culmination and vegetables.
Chances are, we’ll hear more about sustainable food this year. In fact, the majority of respondents in Sodexo’s study say they aspire to eat more sustainably at all the dining out places they use daily, including restaurants, schools, and restaurants. , universities and corporate canteens.
Also, a majority of respondents say they have already adopted sustainable food habits: 71% say they reduce their waste, 63% eat seasonal produce, and 55% buy local produce whenever they can.
But adopting sustainable practices can be easier said than done. People resist change, especially when it comes to food. They would possibly refuse to pay more for their food or dine at a place to eat that doesn’t serve coffee.
“Health, taste and emotion are essential elements to make sustainable progress more desirable,” says Anna Notarianni, Sodexo’s Chief Influence Officer.
For Sodexo, doubling down on its sustainability efforts means strengthening plant-based menus to reduce carbon emissions. The company is sourcing more ingredients locally, with a specific focus on regenerative agriculture. It also has an ambitious plan to reduce carbon emissions by 90% by 2040 across all its establishments. the entire price chain.
Sodexo is the official catering partner of the Paris 2024 Athletes’ Village. He plans to double the amount of vegetables and plant-based protein on plates, which he claims will halve the carbon footprint of food. In addition, 80% of the food will come from France and 25% will come from a radius of 250 kilometers around the site. At least 30% of all products will be organic.
With the proliferation of sustainable options, consumers are finding it less difficult to make eco-friendly choices. And this could be the year the industry gets involved, after all.