Top 10 ethical travel destinations for 2015

Top 10 ethical travel destinations for 2015

(CNN) -- With so many developing destinations fighting it out for international tourists, it's not surprising that some travelers make... 23:00

(CNN) -- With so many developing destinations
fighting it out for international tourists, it's not
surprising that some travelers make a point of
avoiding the ones with weak human rights and
environmental records.
This can make it challenging to figure out which
up-and-coming countries are actually worthy of
your tourist coin.
Once again, help comes via nonprofit Ethical
Traveler, which this week released its annual list of
the countries that are doing the most to promote
human rights, preserve their environments and
support social welfare -- all while fostering a
lively, community-based tourism industry.
Every year, the California-based organization
reviews policies and practices in the developing
world to select its top 10.
"By visiting these countries, we can use our
economic leverage to reward good works and
support best practices," says the report.
In alphabetical order, the 2015 top 10 are:
1. Cape Verde
2. Chile
3. Dominica
4. Lithuania
5. Mauritius
6. Palau
7. Samoa
8. Tonga
9. Uruguay
10. Vanuatu
Vanuatu, Samoa and Tonga are this year's new
entries to the list.
Seven of this year's 10 countries are island
nations, "indicating a trend in our winners' circle,"
says the report.
"Climate change affects islands dramatically, so
they tend to be very aware of the importance of
effective environmental policies."
As in 2014, no developing Asian country qualified
this year.
"All betrayed too many human rights abuses, and
showed too little movement toward sustainability,"
says the report.
Choosing the top 10
Ethical Traveler's research focuses on four
categories: environmental protection, social
welfare, human rights and animal welfare.
"For each of these categories we look at
information past and present so that we
understand not only the current state of a country,
but how it has changed over time," says Ethical
Traveler.
"This helps us select nations that are actively
improving the state of their people, government
and environment."
Information sources include Freedom House, the
Millennium Challenge Corporation, Reporters
Without Borders, UNICEF, LGBT resources and the
World Bank.
"After identifying about two dozen 'short list'
performers, we turn to detailed case research,
focusing on actions these governments have taken
over the year to improve (or in some cases,
weaken) practices and circumstances in the
countries," says the report.
The chosen destinations also have to have
something to offer tourists.
Each "best ethical destination" offers opportunities
to check out incredible natural beauty, enjoy great
outdoor activities and have interactions with local
people and cultures in a meaningful, mutually
enriching way, says Ethical Traveler.
Researchers stress that just because these
destinations made the list, none scored perfect
marks.
"One issue that plagues nearly every country on
our list is a high level of gender-based violence,"
says Ethical Traveler.
"Chile has the highest rate in Latin America, and in
Samoa it is so commonplace that most people
simply accept it as a way of life.
"Samoa, however, does seem to be making
headway on this issue. In 2013 the legislature
passed an amended Crimes Act that outlawed
spousal rape and improved measures against
domestic violence."
Also, many countries on the list remain in the Tier
2 designation of the U.S. State Department's
Trafficking in Persons Report for 2014, which
means their "governments do not fully comply with
the TVPA's (Trafficking Victims Protection Act)
minimum standards."
"We encourage these countries -- Cabo Verde,
Lithuania, Mauritius, Palau, Tonga and Uruguay --
to do whatever is necessary to improve
conditions," says the report.
"We are especially concerned with Uruguay, which
is in danger of falling to Tier 3 if significant
improvements are not seen in 2015."