|
|
Subscribe to our Travel Podcasts
Press Releases - The Traveler's Journal
Informative Press Releases for Travel
Press Release information you can use!
The following information is provided by the travel supplier or its public relations representative. The Traveler's Journal can accept no responsibility for the accuracy or validity of any material in this section.
Top 10: Group Names World’s Best Ethical Destinations for 2013
12-11-2012
Nonprofit Ethical Traveler releases annual survey of the developing world’s top countries for tourism, based on environmental and human rights performance
BERKELEY, USA (December 2012 -- Ecotourism-Newswire.com)
On International Human Rights Day, Ethical Traveler released its annual survey of the world’s most ethical tourism destinations. The list highlights 10 countries - all in the developing world – that combine best practices with superb scenic and cultural attractions. The winning destinations have all demonstrated a clear and continuing commitment to environmental protection, human rights and social welfare.
This year’s 2013 top ethical destinations, in alphabetical order, are:
-
Barbados
-
Cape Verde
-
Costa Rica
-
Ghana
-
Latvia
-
Lithuania
-
Mauritius
-
Palau
-
Samoa
-
Uruguay
"We congratulate this year’s winners. They’re doing a great job showing the world that you can have a successful tourism industry along with sustainability and social justice," said Ethical Traveler Executive Director Jeff Greenwald. "With the number of international arrivals expected to top the 1 billion mark in 2013, travelers have more power than ever. Every dollar we spend is a statement about which countries and governments we choose to support. By visiting the countries on our list, savvy travelers can have great vacations and promote the values we all share."
Using publicly available data, potential destinations were evaluated on a broad spectrum of criteria—including ecosystem support, natural and cultural attractions, political rights, press freedom, women’s equality, commitment to LGBT rights, and— the survey’s newest indicator— terrestrial and marine area protection.
"It’s incredibly encouraging to see the strides this year’s top ethical destinations are making in the areas of social and ecological wellness," said report co-author Natalie Lefevre. "And, as always, we hope this honor will inspire them to continue their good work, and fix the places that need fixing."
Report co-author Christy Hoover offers three examples of best practices: "Ghana maintains a high degree of freedom of the press, has a stable democracy which just re-elected a pro-environment President; about 15 percent of its territory is environmentally protected in some form. Latvia is well-rated for human rights and press freedom; it was also the most-improved country on the Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC) Environmental Performance Index (EPI). In Uruguay, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights and women’s rights are among the best in the region."
This year’s report also includes a section recognizing "Destinations of Interest" for the coming year. While not part of the 10 Best Ethical Destinations, Ethical Traveler encourag
[Back to Press Releases Main]
[Back to Press Releases Main]