World's 10 best ethical travel destinations revealed

Are you the kind of traveler who wants to have a great time AND feel good about where your travel budget is going? Ethical Traveler's new report, "The World's Best Ethical Destinations" identifies the 10 countries in the developing world that are best protecting their natural environments, promoting responsible travel, and building a tourism industry which provides real benefits to 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 coauthor of the report. "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.”

In alphabetical order, the best ethical travel destinations for 2010 are:

• Argentina

• Belize

• Chile

• Ghana

• Lithuania

• Namibia

• Poland

• Seychelles

• South Africa

• Suriname

“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.” says Christy Hoover, coauthor of the report. “Data sources include the United Nations Development Program, Human Rights Watch, Columbia University, Reporters Without Borders, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and many others. Private interviews with NGO leaders are part of the process, as well.” The full report can be viewed at www.ethicaltraveler.org/destinations.

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.

Photo credits: Jaguar in Belize by CTO-Demian Solano (top); Kalahari dunes by Namibia Tourism (bottom) 

Sweden to increase tourism budget by 50% for sustainable development

Sweden has announced that it will increase its tourism budget by 50 percent in order to promote sustainable development in the travel industry. Maud Olofsson, the Swedish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Enterprise, Energy, and Tourism, announced the news last week at the Gothenburg Symposium hosted by the World Tourism Organization, the European Travel Commission, and the national tourist board VisitSweden. With the budget increase, VisitSweden will receive 150 million kronor (US$21.45 million) per year, up from 100 million kronor (US$14.5). Olofsson emphasized that this increase is not the result of any lack on VisitSweden's part, but rather is a directly reflection of the "great job" the organization is doing, as well as the important role that tourism can play in sustainable economic development.

"The aim of the Swedish tourism policy is for Sweden to be a highly attractive tourist destination, and for tourism to be competitive in the long term. Tourism should contribute to sustainable growth and increased employment throughout the country," Olofsson said in her presentation.

She added that there is an inherent conflict between the tourism industry and the need to combat climate change, but added that she believes that travel can be a catalyst for positive change. Despite the economic downtown, Olofsson said employment has been rising in the tourism industry, with almost 160,000 people in Sweden working full-time in travel-related jobs.

"Environmentally friendly travel must be sought within the framework of international cooperation and regulations. We cannot only rely on travelers to be conscious and responsible in the way they travel. The various operators within the travel and tourism industry also have a real responsibility to adapt," noted Olofsson. "Ecotourism initiatives must be promoted and developed, and every company in the supply chain can step-by-step improve its products and services in a sustainable and eco-efficient way."

In an interview with Valere Tjolle, editor of VISION on Sustainable Tourism, Olofsson further outlined her goals for Sweden's sustainable tourism development. She would like to see a focus on reducing emissions from transportation and improving training and education within the travel sector to make people more aware of the issues and the possibilities. Olofsson also expressed a desire for continued and enhanced global connections and cooperation.

With Sweden holding the presidency of the European Union for the rest of 2009, the country has a tremendous opportunity for leadership on climate change and environmental responsibility. Olofsson believes that Sweden is well positioned to lead the way in the development of a sustainable tourism industry.

"I think the awareness of the environment is very strong here in Sweden, and I think that's why we also are a role model to develop a sustainable tourism industry because the consumers are asking for that type of products," the minister said. "So in that sense I think that Sweden can be a player as a role model and also show how you can train, how you can show best practice, how you can be active and develop a sustainable tourism industry."

Visit TravelMole.com to watch Olofsson's presentation at the Gothenburg Symposium or watch Valere Tjolle's interview with the Deputy Prime Minister.

Exciting new Afar Magazine emphasizes experiential travel

Crossing Time Zones has been quiet lately because I spent much of the past week driving to and from Wyoming for a friend's wedding. On my way back, I stopped in a bookstore in Missoula, Montana, and came across the premiere issue of the new travel magazine Afar. Like Crossing Time Zones, Afar targets travelers who want to go beyond the superficial. The magazine's philosophy centers on experiential travel, which it defines as follows.

Experiential travel connects you with the authentic essence of a place and its people, deepening your understanding of the world, its cultures, and yourself.

The first issue of Afar contains articles about such experiences as apprenticing with a master baken in Paris, looking for true Berber culture in Morocco, and exploring Tokyo's whimsical "maid cafés," where young waitresses dress in French maid costumes.

Interestingly, it seems that even among travel experts, not everyone sees the appeal of going off the beaten track and delving deeply into a foreign culture. Afar editor Susan West was recently interviewed on The Travel Show, the Sunday radio show hosted by the father-daughter team of Arthur and Pauline Frommer. While Pauline was enthusiastic about the magazine's mission, Arthur was skeptical. West described their reactions on the Afar blog:

[O]n the live portion of the show after the interview aired, Arthur declared that Afar is “an absurd magazine that should be subtitled ‘Impossible Adventures.’” People don’t want to venture off-road in Morocco, he said; they can’t apprentice with a Paris baker; they won’t want to go into Tokyo cafés where only Japanese is spoken. Pauline disagreed: “Many people travel like that; there are adventurers out there who want to go to these less explored places.” Afar offers inspiration, cultural insights, and resources, Pauline said.

I personally find Arthur Frommer's comments narrow-minded. I'll probably never go to a Japanese maid café or apprentice with a baker in Paris, but articles like this expand my knowledge of the world and understanding of different cultures. They stimulate my curiosity about other places and peoples. That's what Afar is all about. I'm already looking forward to the next issue.

To find out more about Afar, check out their magazine's website or listen to a podcast of the radio show, including Pauline Frommer's interview with Susan West and both Frommers' conflicting reactions.