As the most southerly of the Greek Islands, Crete enjoys a long, hot summer and an even longer tourist season, thanks to its classic Mediterranean blend of sun-baked beaches, inland flora and the bright blue of the Cretan Sea. But this island has a distinct history and its people retain a deep sense of heritage that goes far beyond the resorts of the eastern shores or cheap flights to Heraklion. Look elsewhere and you can help sustain the Crete of ancient civilisations, culinary traditions and warm hospitality.

International Ecolodges & Jem Winston

The home stay program was just another step on the eco-path of the lodge since its inception in 2002. One of the most fundamental aims is to live in harmony with, and have as little harmful impact on our surroundings as possible, whilst recognizing that the ecolodge has an important role to play in protecting and enhancing the environment for guests and residents of the local community.

By Mikael Castro

In Cambodia, we got in touch with Andrea Ross, who runs Journey’s Within, an acclaimed operator in Southeast Asia that offers customized tours. Andrea’s reputation and expertise has been recognized internationally; for the past 5 years she has been listed in Wendy Perrin Travel Specialist List, published by Condé Nast Traveler.

By Michael Soncina

Sustainable tourism design in Jordan and other Middle Eastern locations, especially in the realm of architecture, is creating sustainable tourism potential in the Middle East. Interestingly, hotels are built with sustainable materials, such as LED lights and solar panels and are made to co-exist with the dangerous sand dunes affecting the region so negatively.

By Jim Lutz

I think the right way to travel in the Galapagos is to think more broadly about the overall type of tourism you are supporting, rather than focusing exclusively on the self-described “green” or “sustainable” practices of any individual tour operator or hotel. The main consideration, in my mind, is keeping tourism small scale, non-intrusive, and nature-oriented. In practice, this means the best type of tour is with the smaller vessels that are licensed to operate live-aboard tours.

By Laurel Angrist

Here in New York, we are currently in the midst of an ongoing battle that pits the gas industry against conservationists over whether or not to allow hydraulic fracturing, also called “fracking,” a controversial technique that uses numerous chemical additives for extracting the gas that lies buried under deep shale formations.

Since 2009, Vida Digna, an animal welfare association based in Lima, Peru, has organized an annual health campaign for horses that work the tourist trails on the Cusco highlands of the Peruvian Andes. This campaign is supported by the US-based animal welfare organization Humane Society International. As part of this effort, every year in the month of August, ten American doctors, veterinary students and a professional farrier are sent to Cusco on a two-week mission, bring with them all the necessary medicines and equipment.

Maliau Basin is one of the world’s finest remaining wilderness areas. It encompasses over 390 square kilometres of pristine rainforest in the south-central part of Sabah, Borneo, in Malaysia. The rainforest is so dense that less than 50 percent of it has ever been explored. Today, the Maliau is awaiting UNESCO World Heritage Site status, which would help with conservation efforts.

By Mary Kuhner

Celebrating 35 years of research and education at the edge of the Arctic, the Churchill Northern Studies Centre (CNSC) recently cut the tape on its state-of-the-art 27,000 square-foot facility. In keeping with its mission to understand and sustain the North and to live sustainably on the fragile tundra, the new building is on track to obtain Manitoba’s northernmost LEED Gold certification. The CNSC reduces both the high cost of operating in the North and reliance on outside services and utilities.

Join Restoration Expeditions in New Zealand February 5-11, 2012 for its Pure New Zealand Study Tour. Experience one of the world’s most remarkable landscapes and best organized travel destinations with other sustainable recreation and tourism development professionals. Dig out your passport and leave your car behind! The tour will include the opportunities to tramp, paddle, bike, sample wine, get your hands dirty with a restoration project, and stay at some of the most unique overnight accommodations