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What are the most ethical travel destinations in the world? The California-based nonprofit Ethical Traveler group has just published its top ten for 2014.

The decision is based on a combination of its human rights and social welfare record,  environmental protection including animal welfare, and its appeal as a travel destination. The list includes only nations in the developing world, so you won't see countries such as the USA or Norway on the list, no matter how ethical and appealing they are.

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There is no shortage of niche travel labels out there – ecotourism, responsible travel, sustainable travel, ethical travel, experiential travel, mindful travel, real travel, good travel, pro-poor travel, community-based tourism, local travel etc. I suspect, though, that more than just a few of them are either meaningless or confusing to travel consumers. And we know that some of these labels have lost their potency as a result of unscrupulous entrepreneurs' false application of the terms (common

It’s big business, this ecotourism.

It drives entire economies of countries like Kenya, Botswana, Belize, South Africa, Laos, and especially here in Costa Rica.

Ecotourism is top of the list as to why millions of travelers from around the world come to Costa Rica’s tropical paradise each year to see its wondrous landscapes and exuberant biodiversity. Tourism is the number one industry in the country, and with good reason. Though a tiny Central American nation, Costa Rica is a “wonderland”of volcan

A step beyond Eco-tourism? This should be the way to travel, for everyone. Ethical Traveleris a nonprofit organization, founded to "empower travelers to change the world." We seek to use the economic clout of tourism to protect human rights and the environment. When something like this caught your eye, you better not turn away. Surfing the web I came across this interesting website and I couldn't just read, I had to write about them.

What is the purpose of Ethical Traveler?

Ethical Traveler is de

It’s a personal belief so powerful that I sometimes find it hard not to be preachy. Or to ignore others’ lidded gazes, warily gauging me like I’m a circus barker purveying foul-smelling hair tonic. I really must therefore ask: Can anyone explain why many travellers roll their eyes when asked about the value of local or community-based travel (CBT)?

Is it that we can’t work around the same compost-rich uncertainty that also gives ecotourism a bad name despite the growing mass of evidence to the c

We used to have a desire to kick back on holiday, but now the desire to give back has moved to the forefront when it comes to booking that dream trip.  Proof that there’s more than one way to join in with the “feel good” factor, the “Travelling Eco-Book Depository” combines the traditional idea of recycling with the ethical mindset of today’s travellers – “reduce, reuse, recycle,” entering the travel sphere. 

Simplistic it may be, but while most initiatives are generally tour operator led, this