The Destinations With Some of the Biggest Sustainability Initiatives

by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 12:00 AM ET, Sat April 22, 2023

Rwanda

1/10 Rwanda has been developing ways to conserve and protect its natural wonders over the past twenty or so years, and currently offers some incredible sustainability initiatives. The country was one of the first to ban plastic bags back in 2008 and banned single-use plastics in 2019; expanded its important habitat for mountain gorillas, Volcanoes National Park, by 23 percent; and has created a sustainable tourism model that focuses on curbing overtourism, circular economy and funding community projects that enhance residents' quality of life, such as building hospitals and schools. The country also encourages its people to focus on building a sense of community and shared identity with Umuganda, a half-day on the last Saturday of each month that is dedicated towards building, cleaning and repairing public spaces across the country. Rwanda is considered a success story for mountain gorilla conservation and as an example of a sustainable developing nation. In fact, it's gained such traction and global encouragement that the country's capital of Kigali will be this year's host for the World Travel & Tourism Council's Global Summit, the first to be held in Africa. 

Denmark

2/10 This small European country has long been at the forefront of sustainability initiatives, so it's no wonder that the country is on this list. Besides what we already know about Denmark's bike-loving cities and flower fame, it's also pretty unique for a few reasons. First, every fifth hotel in Denmark has been awarded the Green Key ecolabel, which helps travelers to choose the most sustainable accommodations for them. Two of its islands are also at the forefront of sustainability and shouldn't be disregarded: Samsø and Bornholm both won sustainability awards from the European Union back in 2020. Samsø offers Viking history combined with an entirely self-sustainable energy grid that produces more energy via renewable resources than it consumes. Bornholm's development strategy is called "Bright Green Island" and focuses on becoming carbon neutral, while it currently offers a relaxing atmosphere with a great culinary focus.

Panamá

3/10 While Panamá is most known for its feat of engineering, the Panama Canal, it's also home to some interesting sustainability intiatives. It's home to three Natural UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the only urban capital with a tropical rainforest inside of it and over 1,400 tropical islands with rich biodiversity. In fact, about 63 percent of the country's landmass is covered in forest, making it an important area for conservation. It launched its Tourism Sustainability Standard for businesses in 2017. The country protects 46 marine areas, including Marine Conservation Institute Blue Spark-designated Coiba National Park; will triple the protected area of the Coiba Ridge and recently became one of the first countries in the world (and the first in Latin America) to designate 50 percent of its total marine area protected; and in 2021 began a national project to create 1,000 kilometers of natural trails while improving rural communities through a project called "La Ruta de la Caldera." In 2022, it also launched SOSTUR, the country's community tourism network and digital platform that connects well-meaning travelers with responsible and sustainable community-centric experiences.

France

4/10 France has been considered a world leader in sustainability initiatives for years, and it was one of the first countries to adopt the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the program's Sustainable Development Goals. The country works to tackle biodiversity loss, grow its fields of sustainably minded industries, and re-green cities, like Paris, to reduce carbon emissions naturally. The city itself also now features Plantation Paris, its own urban rooftop farm that supports farm-to-table cuisine and provides a unique, green-centric locale for events, which is just one of Paris's and France's many sustainability initiatives.

Costa Rica

5/10 Costa Rica is one of those destinations which draws travelers specifically because of its natural wonders, so it's unsurprising that it would capitalize on sustainability to protect and grow such attractions. In 2019, it launched its National Decarbonization Plan to become completely carbon neutral by 2050, and in fact, in 2018 the country was able to power itself completely on renewable electricity for 299 days! It's also the only tropical country in the world to reverse its deforestation, increasing its rainforests from 21 percent to 55 percent from the 1980s to 2012. The country also created the Certification for Sustainable Tourism program for hotels and service providers; the Blue Flag Ecological Program to protect its coasts; the National System of Conservation Areas to protect and enhance its conservation across its many national parks and much more. The country also pays landowners who adopt sustainable land-use and forest management techniques, encouraging its residents to take part in stewardship. With all this, the country is able to protect its incredible cloud forest and animals that make it home, including three-toed sloths, Baird's tapirs, jaguars and other important species.

Victoria, British Columbia

6/10 The scenic island-city of Victoria, British Columbia was recently designated as the only urban space in Canada or the U.S. with a biosphere certification by the Responsible Tourism Institute. The destination's marketing organization and convention bureau was declared full carbon neutral in 2021 (the first in North America), and in 2022 the Victoria Conference Centre became Climate Positive, which means it actually removes more carbon emissions from the atmosphere than it produces. The City of Victoria has a plan to switch to completely renewable energy by 2050; created a zero-waste plan that reduces 50 percent of its landfill waste by 2040. This year, the Victoria International Airport is growing a new native species pollinator garden featuring over 2,000 plants across over 1,000 square meters of space to encourage pollinators to thrive. 

Australia

7/10 Australia is a truly massive destination, but no matter where you visit, you'll likely find responsible tour operators and a mindset focused on sustainability, from accomodations to attractions and more, making it hard to showcase all of the examples of sustainability the country truly has. It's most famously home to two natural wonders: Uluru, the rock that is considered sacred by Australia's First Nations people, and the Great Barrier Reef, located in Tropical North Queensland. For travelers heading to the largest reef system in the world, check out the destination's Sustainable Travel Hub, which offers opportunities for travelers to engage in conservation work for themselves, as well as find certified sustainable accommodations and experiences.

Monaco

8/10 The second-smallest independent state in the world might be famous for its gambling offerings and scenic Mediterranean coastline, but it is quickly becoming a more sustainable country, on track to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Monaco banned single-use plastic bags in 2016, banned plastic straws in 2019; and banned plastic cups, plates and cutlery in 2020. The principality offers electric public transportation options, including e-bike rentals and an e-car sharing program; Terre de Monaco, an ambitious rooftop farming project; and will debut an eco-district along its coastline in 2025, called Mareterra. The state's tourism bureau also just released a CO2 calculator for travelers wanting to calculate and then reduce their emissions while traveling in Monaco. 

New Zealand

9/10 New Zealand has always had a strong connection to its natural wonders, which have been made famous by the beloved Lord of the Rings movies. Its tourism board is fully committed to promoting the country's natural wonders and encouraging responsible travelers to visit with the Tiaki Promise, in which travelers commit to leaving no trace of themselves behind, travel safely, tread lightly in nature and respect local cultures and communities. Like in Australia, you'll find no difficulty finding sustainable and eco-friendly lodging and responsibly led experiences and tours, no matter which part of the multi-island nation you visit.

Germany

10/10 Germany is another European destination investing heavily into sustainability initiatives, from being the first country to offer an all-vegan grocery store chain to showcasing ways that travelers can make more responsible choices during their trip to the country. From locally grown produce to incredible natural wonders and innovatively designed accommodations, sustainability has been at the heart of Germany's travel industry for years, and that's something worth mentioning. The German National Tourist Board also provides a myclimate CO2 calculator to measure your trip's carbon emissions, and also provides ways to offset those emissions by sponsoring selected carbon offsetting programs across the globe. As an added resource, the GNTB also provides a list of certified sustainable accommodations throughout the country (the list is bigger than you'd think!).

Some countries are changing the game in sustainability...

The human world is realizing its intrinsic and fragile connection with the natural world, and this Earth Day, we're showcasing ten destinations with some of the biggest sustainability initiatives in the world. From Costa Rica's lush cloud forests to France's green cities, these destinations are by no means the only ones stepping up their sustainability initiatives to make the world a better place, but they are worth celebrating. If you'd like to learn more about sustainability in each country, we encourage you to check out a destination's official tourism board; many now provide helpful destination-specific guides for travelers wanting to make more responsible travel decisions. 

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