What are the world’s most ethical travel destinations?
Set all over the globe, these destinations have made the best efforts to promote responsible travel via the protecting of natural environments and building a tourism industry that truly benefits the local communities.
Ethical travel covers a vast criteria, spanning everything from environmental conservation to local community support. So, throughout this great blue and green globe, what places are getting them all right?
A new report by Ethical Traveler has identified to top 10 countries in the developing world that are quite simply doing the best job. These locations, set all over the globe, have made the best efforts to promote responsible travel via the protecting of natural environments and building a tourism industry that truly benefits the local communities.
“There’s no doubt that worldwide interest in mindful, responsible travel is growing—not only among travelers, but within the countries that host us,” says Jeff Greenwald, executive director of Ethical Traveler and co-author of the report.
Ethical Traveler is an international alliance of travelers who believe that travel is a powerful tool for international goodwill and cultural understanding. The group seeks to harness the political and economic clout of tourism to support human rights and the environment. Ethical Traveler is a project of the Earth Island Institute.
“Now is the perfect time for savvy travelers and well-intentioned governments to evolve together, each encouraging the other. This is especially true in the developing world, where travel and tourism can be developed as lucrative, low-impact alternatives to forestry, mining, and the destruction of ocean habitats.”
Commitment to responsibility
In order to compile the list, Ethical Traveler did not exactly depend on popular opinion. The online resource compiled data from multiple sources, including the United Nations Development Program, Human Rights Watch, Columbia University, Reporters Without Borders, the Millennium Challenge Corp., and others.
Private interviews were also conducted with various NGO leaders.
“In drafting our report, we use scores of information sources—including publicly available data—to rate each country’s genuine commitment to environmental protection, social welfare and human rights,” said Christy Hoover, co-author of the report.
Making the grade
Rounding out Ethical Traveler’s Most Ethical Travel Destinations for 2010 list are, in alphabetical order:
- Argentina
- Belize
- Chile
- Ghana
- Lithuania
- Namibia
- Poland
- Seychelles
- South Africa
- Suriname
Check out the full report at: www.ethicaltraveler.org/destinations.
Read more about: Africa, Argentina, Belize, community, conservation, destinations, environmental protection, government, human rights, natives, responsibility, United Nations
About the Author
Joe is a full time web designer, developer and marketing guy working in the online travel technology marketplace. TerraCurve.com is his personal project - an avenue of creativity that combines his beliefs in social responsibility with both professional and personal experience.
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