Traveling responsibly means healthy, safe and sustainable. With this in mind we found 4 destinations that are both breathtaking and practicing responsible tourism.
JORDAN
Keeping a 2,000-Year-Old City Alive.
Petra Archaeological Park is an ancient city in the south of Jordan and one of the world’s largest and most complex archaeological sites. Nestled in rugged mountains and desert canyons, the guardians of this cultural site have managed to balance tourism with sustainable and equitable practices that support the local economy and preserve incredible biodiversity in what looks, at first glance, like a barren desert. Their conservation formula is possible through decades of collaboration with many organizations that represent conservation efforts at all levels — regional, national, and international. The city dates back to the first century AD and is one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.
www.VisitPetra.jo
LONDON
The Hotel Where Less Is More.
The One Aldwych hotel has been hailed as one of the most sustainable hotels in the United Kingdom thanks to its no-bleach policy, which bans the harsh chemical from the property. In the kitchen, chefs work with local, seasonal, and organic ingredients, and the swimming pool is chlorine-free, using a mineral-based cleaning system instead. They use LED lighting whenever possible, recycle all paper, cardboard, glass, most plastics, batteries, light bulbs, and cooking oil and even has a unique vacuum drainage system that uses 80 percent less water than most flushing systems. www.OneAldwych.com
NAMIBIA
Helping Nomads Establish Economic Roots.
Serra Cafema Camp is one of the most remote locations in all of Africa. The land is leased from the local Himba people, some of the last genuinely nomadic people on the continent. This venture into ecotourism gives the Himba a firm foothold in the modern world, without having to give up their cultural identity.
www.MirusJourneys.com/Africa/Namibia
NORWAY
Become One with the Ocean.
The Lindesnes region in Southern Norway is one of the country’s certified sustainable destinations — awarded to places that are working to reduce the negative impact of tourism. To become certified, a destination must preserve local nature and culture, strengthen social values, demonstrate political commitment, have effective management, and be economically viable. The semi-submerged restaurant Under is 18-feet below the surface of the ocean, exposing you to wonders beneath the sea while dining. The structure is designed to fully integrate into its marine environment over time, as the roughness of the concrete shell will function as an artificial reef. You’ll need to book early; the restaurant has received more than 7,000 reservations since opening in March 2019.
www.Under.no
