Many of us are becoming more environmentally conscious, particularly with how we travel – whether that’s by choosing to travel to a destination that’s working to be more sustainable or choosing trains over planes, there are plenty of steps you can take to become a better tourist.
And now, for those keen to appreciate wildlife, support the hosting community and limit their environmental impact, Forbes Advisor has developed an ‘ecotourism index’ to help determine the best locations for environmentally-conscious holidaymakers, or ‘ecotourists’.
The index measured various factors, including the number of animal and plant species, and protected species per 10 kmsq, the percentage of protected landmass, the number of Unesco Natural Heritage Sites, the CO2 emissions per capita, and general environmental performance, like air quality. After analysing data on all these criteria, it was Brazil that ranked highest on their ecotourism index.
The rankings were split into various categories to help those planning their next eco-adventure. Australia has the highest number of Unesco world heritage sites, Brazil apparently has the highest rate of biodiversity, and Singapore is the most nature-rich. For the largest percentage of protected land, Bhutan ranks top, and Greece is the highest-ranking country in Europe.
Here are the top 10 destinations for ecotourism, according to Forbes Advisor.
- Brazil (index score: 94.9)
- Mexico (index score: 86)
- Australia (index score: 84)
- Ecuador (index score: 82.1)
- Costa Rica (index score: 81.2)
- Bhutan (index score: 81)
- Peru (index score: 81)
- Indonesia (index score: 80.1)
- Panama (index score: 79.6)
- Tanzania (index score: 79.3)
Did you see that this country was named the world’s best destination for digital nomads?
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