Intrepid Travel has launched a range of vegan food tours in the world renowned gastronomic destinations of India, Italy and Thailand in response to a growing plant-based movement.

The new tours will depart in 2019 and were developed by Intrepid Travel's experienced destination and food product teams with insight from a team of vegan influencers from around the world.

“Our local tour leaders are receiving more vegetarian and vegan food requests from Australian travellers. Vegan is also now one of our most commonly searched words on the Intrepid website,” Intrepid Travel regional product manager Tara Kennaway said.

Recent Roy Morgan Research revealed there are now 2.25 million Australian vegetarians aged 18 and over. Data from Google Trends also shows that Australians are more interested in vegan diets than about vegetarian, Paleo, gluten-free or sugar-free diets.

“Food is one of the best ways to connect with a local culture, but dietary requirements can be tricky with language barriers. Why should vegans miss out on authentic food experiences?” Kennaway said.

“You might think somewhere like Italy, famous for its pizza and pasta, won't have vegan options readily available. The opposite is true and we wanted to share our leader's local knowledge and cater to vegan travellers,” Kennaway said.

The three new eight-day tours include: 

-India Vegan Food Adventure: Highlights include waking in Delhi to a hot Indian Chai with soy milk before walking to the Jama Mosque eating Vegan Samosa and Jalebis on the way. In Agra, travellers will visit the Taj Mahal before lunch at a cafe that supports acid attack victims.

-Italy Vegan Food Adventure: From an all-vegan villa in the hills of Tuscany, to a farm to table vegan feast and the first vegan restaurant in Venice, this trip will reveal Italy as home to the world's most progressive vegan cuisine. 

-Thailand Vegan Food Adventure: Jump into the kitchen with local Thai masters who do amazing things with tofu, mushroom, sticky rice, bamboo and spice. One of many trip highlights is cooking a vegan meal under the guidance of a local in a Chiang Mai homestay.

“While we recognise that it's not realistic for everyone around the world to adopt a vegan lifestyle, as a responsible travel company that values purpose initiatives and sustainability in all aspects, we feel it's important to encourage and celebrate vegan cultures and practices around the world as one way responsible travellers can help save our planet,” Intrepid Travel Chief Purpose Officer Leigh Barnes said.

For more information about the new Vegan Food Adventures, or to book, visit: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/au/vegan-food-adventures

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Images are available to download here:  

https://intrepidgroup.bynder.com/web/43c2b3e564531164/vegan-food-adventures/

For more information please contact:

Kate Parker, Intrepid Group, PR Manager on kate.parker@intrepidtravel.com

About Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel is a global adventure travel company that has been taking travellers off the beaten track to discover the world's most amazing places for 29 years. The company offers more than 1,500 trips in more than 120 countries and on every continent. Every trip is designed to truly experience local culture - to meet local people, try local food, take local transport and stay in local accommodation. A world leader in responsible travel, Intrepid's award-winning tour leaders, small group sizes and included activities mean they offer travellers great value for money. www.intrepidtravel.com

About the Intrepid Group
Now the world's largest provider of adventure travel experiences, Intrepid has been taking people off the beaten track to discover the world's most amazing places for 29 years. The Melbourne-based company is privately-owned by two university friends who had the goal of building the business with a purpose beyond profit. The Intrepid Group now includes five tour operator brands, 20 destination management companies and a not-for-profit foundation that last year gave $1m to charities. Intrepid now takes more than 350,000 travellers each year on more than 2000 trips in more than 120 countries and on every continent. A carbon-neutral business since 2010, Intrepid trips are carbon-offset and designed to truly explore local culture, meet local people, try local food, take local transport and stay in local accommodation. Award-winning tour leaders, small group sizes and lots of included activities means travellers are able to have a sustainable local experience that is great value for money. Intrepid Travel's founders now privately-own the Intrepid Group, a portfolio of brands that together are the largest provider of adventure travel experiences in the world. 
www.intrepidgroup.travel