Best Island Destinations: National Geographic Traveler Magazine
The November 2007 issue of National Geographic Traveler Magazine features “Destination Scorecard— Islands.” It rates 111 selected islands around the world. CORAL’s Executive Director, Brian Huse, was among the panel of experts whose evaluations of six criteria made up the survey. The criteria were: environmental and ecological quality; social and cultural integrity; condition of historic buildings and archaeological sites; aesthetic appeal; quality of tourism management; and outlook for the future. The survey was conducted by National Geographic’s Center for Sustainable Destinations (CSD), whose mission is to help protect the world’s distinctive places through wisely managed tourism and enlightened destination stewardship. The CSD works to attain this goal through “geotourism,” defined as “tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of the place being visited—its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents.”
The annual “Places Rated” Destination Scorecards are designed to highlight issues of stewardship, put them on the table for public discussion, and facilitate ways for destinations to improve.
Among the reef destinations discussed, CORAL has been active at a number of the sites that have seen improvement. However, more funding must be obtained to keep the progress moving.