Top 10 Emerging Destinations for Green and Sustainable Travel

Vienna, VA, Oct. 6, 2011 ˆ The business of eco trailblazer Greenloons http://www.greenloons.com/ is to help travelers source the green vacation of their dreams ˆ one that‚s been certified sustainable.

Irene Lane, Greenloons founder, suggests 10 emerging eco destinations as the next „best bets‰ to take folks off the sometimes beaten green path.

„Traveling sustainably in new destinations,‰ Lane said, „helps raise living standards and can create environmental reverence by emphasizing conservation education and advocating sustainable activities that lessen degradation.‰

Here‚s a list of Lane‚s top developing destinations for green travel:

1.  Jordan‚s eco-lodges combine local heritage and educational experiences while exploring a mix of modernity, ancient wonders and nature. Think horse or camel safaris, Bedouins, the endangered Arabia oryx, Petra, the Dead Sea and trekking through Dana Nature Reserve. Jordan Family Adventure

2. Borneo‚s jungles, beaches, caves, exotic wildlife and more than 5,000 diverse and endemic plant species are revealed by, among others, trekking the relatively untouched Mt. Kinabalu and exploring the Kinabatangang River, home to wild boar, orangutans, elephants, king fishers, macaque and proboscis monkeys.  Award-winning eco-lodges harvest rainwater, use solar power and manage wildlife rehabilitation.Borneo Family Adventure

3. The Philippines is among National Geographic‚s 20 Best Destinations for 2011 and Palawan Island its top eco-destination.  Among 7,000 islands guests swim with whale sharks, discover endangered sea turtles, spy on the rare Philippine eagle and discover the mountain-to-sea ecosystem of the Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park. Eco-lodges serve locally sourced food and wildlife education.  Philippine Discovery

4. Belize offers more than 87 distinct types of ecosystems, making ecotourism the lifeblood of its economy.  Along with 150 identified species of mammals are rainforests, Mayan temples, the world‚s second longest barrier reef and an abundance of eco-lodges educating travelers about the fragility of its ecosystem. Kayak Belize

5. Botswana favors low volume, high quality, environmentally conscious safari travel into the Okavango Delta and Kalahari Desert, the savannahs of the Moremi Reserve and the forests of Chobe and Linyanta Game Reserves.  Guests enjoy game drives, walking, elephant/horseback/bicycle safaris and boating, plus youth explorer programs emphasizing conservation and bush survival skills. Tented bush camps are environmentally friendly. [Back to Press Releases Main]