Responsible tourism’s top ten ecotourism destinations

10 destinations where they say your visit will make difference

Leading ethical agent responsibletravel.com rounds up 10 award-winning destinations which will not only give you the holiday of a lifetime, but where your travels will also make a real, positive difference to local people and conservation efforts.

1. Bonito, Brazil

This wonderland of caves, crystal clear water, mountains and forests is little known outside Brazil, but has an enterprising and innovative approach to sustainable tourism which won it the Best Destination in the 2013 World Responsible Tourism Awards. So while you are snorkelling through its kaleidoscopic caverns, and marvelling at its wildlife, you’ll also be helping protect them for generations to come. http://www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/brazil (Photo credit: Prefeitura Municipal de Turismo, Bonito).

2. New Zealand

Overall winner of the World Responsible Tourism Awards 2008 for its nationwide efforts to use tourism to make better places to live and visit, New Zealand is an adrenalin-fuelled outdoor playground. Mountains, trimmed by glaciers roll into staggering coastlines and lush forests offer walking and hiking trails galore. 

3. Roros, Norway

Take a step back in time in this unique former mining town and UNESCO World Heritage Site, which has been using tourism to preserve local heritage for over 85 years. Come here for culture and wilderness, cycling, hiking and canoeing in summer, and snowshoeing, husky-sledding and to see traditional reindeer herders in winter.

4. The North York Moors, UK

Conjuring up images of wild, remote landscapes and atmospheric adaptations of Bronte novels, Winner of the best Protected Area in 2004, the North York Moors are a spectacular mixture of coastline, open moorland and quaint, Georgian spa towns. Take the waters in Harrogate, or take to two wheels to explore the open, heather-filled expanses. 

5. Cape Town, South Africa

Vibrant and diverse, South Africa’s culture is often an afterthought to its animals. Cape Town offers a unique, complex combination of history and modernity, culture and scenery as well as innovative, informative township tourism projects. 

6. The New Forest National Park, UK

Tucked away on the South Coast of the UK, this family friendly area of 900 year old woodland, walking trails, quaint villages and ubiquitous New Forest ponies won the award for Best Destination in the 2007 World Responsible Tourism Awards. Excellent bus connections and gentle cycling routes makes it easy to go car-free. 

7. Tobago

A world away from the all inclusive resorts, feel the rhythm of the real Caribbean in Tobago. And nowhere else in the Caribbean offers such a diversity of wildlife and habitats in such a compact area.  

8. St Kilda, Outer Hebrides, UK

Isolated St Kilda, in the remotest part of Scotland’s Outer Hebrides may not be the top of everyone’s travel bucket list, but these tiny islands are the UK’s only Dual UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognised for both its natural and unique cultural significance. 

9. Aspen, Colorado, USA

Leading the field in environmentally-friendly skiing, this mountain resort has a whole host of green accolades to its name. Be stunned by its towering mountains and summer hiking trails, and in winter know that the snow here is about as green as it gets.

10. The Lake District National Park, UK

Jaw dropping scenery, crystal lakes and enough outdoor activities to keep adventurers of all ages happy, the Lake District National Park offers a real retreat into nature. And with so many of its tourism businesses partnering with conservation organisations, a stay here really does contribute to keeping the Lakes as beautiful as they are now, for years to come.

 The 2014 World Responsible Tourism Awards, sponsored by the Sultanate of Oman Ministry of Tourism, including this year’s Best Destination for Responsible Tourism will be announced on Wednesday 5th November at World Travel Market, London. http://www.worldresponsibletourismawards.com.

Valere Tjolle @ValereTjolle [email protected]