This is a very serious topic, so we’re going to give it to you straight. Travel is now the world’s largest industry, with a trillion-dollar annual footprint. With so many developing destinations fighting it out for international tourists, it’s not surprising that some travellers make a point of avoiding the ones with weak human rights and environmental records. This means you; the traveller, has enormous power. Where we choose to put our footprints has economic and political reverberations that reach far beyond our personal experience.
Every year, non-profit Ethical Traveler (that’s not a typo) releases an annual top 10 list of countries that are doing the most to promote human rights, preserve their environments and support social welfare — all while fostering a lively, community-based tourism industry. “By voting with our wings, choosing our destinations well, and cultivating our roles as citizen diplomats – we promote international goodwill and help change the world for the better”.
We urge you to explore these destinations, and to enjoy the wonderful sights and culture that they have to offer.
The Top 10 List (in alphabetical order):
Cape Verde
Chile
Dominica
Lithuania
Mauritius
Palau
Samoa
Tonga
Uruguay
Vanuatu
Vanuatu, Samoa and Tonga are this year’s new entries to the list. Seven of this year’s 10 countries are island nations, “indicating a trend in our winners’ circle,” says the report. “Climate change affects islands dramatically, so they tend to be very aware of the importance of effective environmental policies.”
As in 2014, no developing Asian country qualified this year. “All betrayed too many human rights abuses, and showed too little movement toward sustainability,” says the report.
http://www.ethicaltraveler.org/explore/reports/the-worlds-best-ethical-destinations-2015/
Love the our new home country of Vanuatu made it onto the list 🙂