Watch Industry Leaders Discuss Sustainable Hospitality and Tourism

This year, in celebration of Earth Day, our team at Vegan Hospitality hosted the second Global Vegan Hospitality & Tourism Online Conference.

What is Earth Day?

Earth Day marks the anniversary of the modern environmental movement in 1970. Earth Day in 1970 became and continues to be to this day the largest secular day of protest in the world. The 2000 Earth Day campaign was the first time Earth Day included a campaign focused on global warming, and continued with the 2010 campaign pushing for a sustainable green economy and reduction of carbon footprints.

2020 was the 50th anniversary with the theme Climate Action, with EarthDay.org hosting a livestream event that 1B people attended making it the largest online mass mobilization in history.

We are proud to share that our conference was an official earthday.org registered event, and now you can watch the recording if you weren’t able to join us live (we imagine you were out planting trees instead)!

Check out these exciting statistics from our event!

250+ registered attendees from 44+ countries

6 speakers from 4 countries

In case you missed it, you can watch the full 2 hour conference recording here.

And if you don’t have 2 hours right now, enjoy this summary of the conference sessions with links to follow up with all of our fabulous speakers!

Session 1: Magnetic Branding and Marketing Strategies to Draw Vegans and Sustainability Enthusiasts to Your Restaurant or Hotel with Diana Edelman

Is your brand attracting vegan and eco-conscious guests? In this session, you’ll learn the steps to take to optimize your company’s social media presence to help guests find your restaurant or hotel, best practices for working with influencers to market to this niche, and ways to improve your promotional materials to attract the vegan and sustainable tourism focused market.

Session 2: Live Interview with internationally acclaimed zero waste chef Vojtech Vegh

Vojtech explains key concepts in working toward a low waste kitchen, including the key difference between prevention and reduction when it comes to food waste, the “black truffle mindset” and how it can help you put less food in the bin, and how to get started in implementing waste management strategies in your hotel or restaurant kitchen.

Session 3: How to Gain Early Access to the Industry’s First Vegan Accessible Hotel & Lodging Certification with Hayley Cooper

If you are part of a hotel, lodge, or travel accommodation company, this session is a must-watch! Hayley Cooper, COO of Vegan Hospitality, introduces the latest innovation in third party verified certification in the industry — the certification program and professional development system for hotels and other stays that welcome vegan guests! Learn about whether your company qualifies, and what to do if you still need to work toward certification indicators. She also shares how you can apply for free to receive a feedback audit.

Session 4: Discover Top Strategic Planning Goals for Sustainability Oriented Hotels with Meredith Marin

Strategic planning is a tool that top companies use to future-proof their businesses, making sure that their goals are values driven, and that their action steps consider the long term industry trends and transition predictions. In this session, Meredith Marin, CEO of Vegan Hospitality, details the topics to consider when setting up a successful strategic plan and explains how your hotel, lodge, or hospitality group can receive support with this process.

Session 5: Understanding Your Menu’s Carbon Footprint with Amber van Veghel

Do you know which items on your menu are increasing your company’s carbon footprint, and which items will lower it? Are you aware of the impact that both minor and major shifts on your menu can have on your emissions reporting? In this session, Amber shares data on the influence of farming practices, food transport, and other factors in calculating the carbon footprint of your company’s menu. Watch this insightful training to learn actionable steps your restaurant or hotel can take to meet your sustainability goals.

Session 6: Success Strategies for Sustainable Conference & Event Planning with Angélica Williams

Did you know that in 90% of event planners have reported that sustainability is important to them as they plan their conferences and events in 2024? Angélica shares an abundance of action steps to consider when planning your next event, with specific ideas for hotels to incorporate in conference planning and catered affairs. From sustainable menu ideas to tips for food waste management in a buffet setting, this is a presentation you are sure to benefit from if your company hosts events.

Watch the full conference recording here!

Ready to learn more about Hotel, Lodge & Accommodation Certification? Click here to go directly to our brochure and certification application page.

Would you like to interview our team, or invite us to speak on your podcast or at your online conference? Connect with us here!