Beyond Green Travel with Costas ChristTop Ten Worst Green Travel Destinations

Text by Global Travel Editor Costas Christ

When NBC's TODAY Show Travel Editor Peter Greenberg asked me to contribute a list of the top 10 places people should avoid when they travel, to include in his new book, Don't Go There! (www.PeterGreenberg.com), I was a little reluctant at first. I am a firm believer that travel, no matter the destination, can be a powerful learning experience. In fact, some of my worst trips have been among the most interesting. They are the places I still tell stories about. But when looked through the lens of sustainable tourism principles—being environmentally friendly, helping to protect cultural and natural heritage, supporting the well-being of local people—there are some places that stand out, and its not for the better. So here is my top 10 must-avoid travel destinations list (or at least consider this warning so that you know what you are getting into before you go).

Cancun, Mexico -  In the 1970s, Cancun was a small, coastal island with fishermen, local merchants and a few small pensions. Today it is a stretch of high-rises sporting some 30,000 hotel rooms. Mangrove forests were cut to accommodate this megadevelopment, clear-water lagoons were filled in, and wildlife disappeared, along with any sense that you are still in Mexico. Stand on Cancun's miracle mile of tourism and wet T-shirt contests and Jell-o shot bars pass for today's local culture. Mexico is one of the greatest travel destinations in the world, but Cancun is pure generic mass tourism.

Santorini, Greece - One of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean has become a text book example of paving paradise. Sure, it has amazing views and spectacular sunsets—just be prepared to share them with as many as 15,000 cruise ship passengers, all off-loading at the same time during the summer and pushing past each other for the best spot to take a photo. Condo, hotel, and tourist sprawl are spreading like a fungus over the landscape. Talk about killing the goose that lays the golden egg—find your Greece island inspiration elsewhere.

Orlando, Florida - It really is a small world after all. Every family in America would do better to experience it first hand by having a genuine cross-cultural experience of learning and discovery, rather than get taken for a ride by the marketing engine of overdeveloped and environmentally unfriendly theme parks.

Kuta, Bali - Take an unspoiled tropical beach, add a vibrant ancient culture, cap it off with friendly local villagers eager to share their rich heritage, and then trample it all with a parade of western brands such as Hard Rock Cafe, T.G.I. Friday's, and KFC. Certainly, tourism destinations change over time, but that does not mean they should be trashed beyond recognition. Skip this one and instead consider Bali's artistic capital, Ubud, where a more balanced path embraces the local culture rather than conquers it.

Dubai City, United Arab Emirates - Just one of Dubai's golf courses requires a million gallons of desalinated water a day to keep the grass green under the scorching desert sun. And it takes more than a gallon of crude to make one gallon of desalinated water. And that is before powering the air-conditioned indoor ski slopes, the gilded shopping malls, and the giant man-made islands shaped like palm trees just off shore that are causing sedimentation runoff onto fragile coral reefs. Is this really the way to make the desert bloom? Seek an alternative.

Myanmar - Aung San Suu Kyi, the only Noble Peace Prize winner living under house arrest for courageously opposing one of the most brutal military regimes in history, has called for international travelers to boycott Myanmar. Nelson Mandela did the same while under arrest during the height of apartheid rule in South Africa. Some tour operators run trips to Myanmar (formerly Burma) with the justification that giving the local people an opportunity to interact with the outside world is a good thing;  meanwhile, they are making a business profit. Follow the real leaders and respect the travel boycott.

Antarctica - This is a "must see" on everyone's travel list, and that's the problem. Rapidly increasing tourism—some 40,000 tourists in 2008—to one of the most fragile and untouched environments on the planet could have a devastating impact. For instance, 49,000 gallons of fuel spilled into the waters of Antarctica when one cruise ship sank. (No one was hurt.) Another ship ran aground. Now major cruise companies want to bring in even more tourists on ever larger ships—Princess Cruises' Star Princess carries 3,800 passengers to Antarctica in one voyage. Time to call on the 46-nation Antarctic Treaty System to set limits before it's too late. Until then, think twice before making the trip.

China Beach, Vietnam - Local and foreign investors have scooped up nearly the entire vast tract of beautiful China Beach in central Vietnam, including ancestral burial grounds found there. Villagers have been forced to break open the coffins of their ancestors and take out the remains before the bulldozers level and bury the place, all in the name of building a parade of new mass tourism resorts. Do you really want to sleep in a hotel built right on top of a traditional burial ground where villagers honored dead ancestors for centuries and then, grief-stricken, were forced to remove their remains? Things did not have to go this route, so let's not reward it.

Costa Rica's Over-Developed Coast - There is a battle going on in Costa Rica, once the darling of ecotourism. The battle is between those who are working overtime to make the country a true green travel destination, and unscrupulous developers who like marketing the green label, but couldn't care less about practicing the principles. The latter are winning in Tamarindo, Jaco, and a string of other coastal areas that have succeeded in carving up the landscape into large condos and megahotels. Your travel choice makes a difference in this struggle. The Costa Rican Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST)  helps identify the good guys.

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania - Definitely stay on the crater rim in one of the great safari lodges and sip a gin and tonic while looking down into what naturalists have called the Eighth Wonder of the World—an ancient, unflooded, collapsed caldera that forms a natural zoological garden—if it survives, that is. Don't drive into the crater, unless you like your wildlife viewing in a parade of 4x4 vehicles.  Save the up-close wildlife encounters for the 5,700 square miles of neighboring Serengeti National Park and let the inner crater have time to heal from tourism's wounds.

Do you agree with these selects? Do you have destinations to add? Let us know by posting your comments below.

Comments

[natalia]

You have to add the Amazonas... Big hotels built in the middle of the jungle!

[LordHox]

Thank you for the wonderful article that should make us all stop and think before we destroy the world and all of the beautiful places that are rapidly being developed, to the detriment of the area.

Thanks for making us all stop and think.

[The Agra Indian]

Water is a non renewable resource, if we will waste it on grass what the next generation will drink.

[touring caravan sites]

Antarctica, on average, is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent, and has the highest average elevation of all the continents. Antarctica is considered a desert, with annual precipitation of only 200 mm (8 inches) along the coast and far less inland. There are no permanent human residents but anywhere from 1,000 to 5,000 people reside throughout the year at the research stations scattered across the continent. Only cold-adapted plants and animals survive there, including penguins, seals, mosses, lichen, and many types of algae.

[Lee]

With any luck some of these places will start seeing the error of their ways after the erosion of the beaches being left with mass produced hotels. Some countries are already trying to reverse their greed for tourism and bring back the natural beauty of their coast lines.

[Ingela Allard]

About Santorini it is true BUT ONLY in July and August. Santorini is wonderful and beautiful and not touristic in April, May, June, September and October.
So whoever visited Santorini did so in the high season (July and August) and based his opinion on only this time of the year and on the main town Fira and in Oia where all the cruise-ship tourists visit most.
Santorini is so much much more then only Fira and Oia, there are small non touristic villages and beaches even in high season.

Ingela Allard

[phoenix tours]

Guatemala is a wonderful place. And very historical that's what makes it interesting place.

[star trek]

Ah your very good article and support! Also hope that the cause of you getting better and better every day happy!http://www.star-trek-dvd.com

[Kate Rees]

Has anyone visited Las Las Vegas this month, aka sin city or is it? Las Vegas has changed from the scenes out of “Godfather” to a second Disney world, notoriously known for hard gambling and anything goes, it is now a place to relax, experience the desert weather and erm… get married! A great place for world travellers. The first thing you notice is that the airport is practically next to the strip, not that you would want to walk in the desert heat. The second thing you notice is that people live here, silly as it sounds; yes the taxi driver will be a resident, not everyone is travelling. Two of the most memorable trips in Las Vegas are the Grand Canyon in all its glory, and a flight down the strip. Both these can be combined by taking the helicopter over to the Grand Canyon. An excellent choice if you overlook the travel theme tunes played by the local flight companies. A definite ‘must do’ is to walk the length of the strip and see everything, you will only ever do this once, at 2.5m / 4km it is definitely worth the trip to explore all the different hotels, have a few cocktails, be serenaded by the Bellagio Fountains, just don’t wake up married to a stranger. Kate x

[Traveling George]

Nice post! I would have to disagree with you about Orlando. I might agree if it was Florida in general, but the best thing in Orlando is Disney World. Orlando wouldn't be the city is out without it.

Traveling George http://studenttravelplace.wordpress.com

[jamie]

wow. informative. if you need to know the best places to travel green, its here.

http://www.topcandianhotels.com

[Henrike]

You're completely right - and I would also like to add the Costa Brava in Spain and Palma de Mallorca - both for their coastline cast in concrete (and this also applies to many other major beach resorts along the Mediterranean coast). But to be honest: there are people who actually enjoy travelling to such hideous places. Maybe these ruined destinations should be developed to the max so that other more pristine stretches of the coastline are left alone. The worst bit isn't that these places already exist but that the tourism industry is "discovering" new places they can destroy by casting them in concrete every year.

[Dash]

Take away what you bring,don't leave behind anything at you back when you leave.

[Wayan Baruna, Kuta Bali]

I agree with this article, but there is a question in my mind. Every tourism places are going to increase and develop as many people know more. It means you can't stop the side effect of this process. Every local people need food and more better life. Investor will going to invest their money. That's the facts. So, if you decide banned them, think twice. Can this became a better way to solve this problem, or you just add the problem? Be wise, please.

[Nathan]

Please stop moving to Austin, Texas too. We have a scenic, beautiful and very fragile hill country environment with limited resources that is being trampled by developers and busineses clamoring to take advantage of what they are destroying. The friendly natives are being over-run by immigrants from all over the US and Mexico who have little interest in perserving the environment, culture or quality of life. They are here to make money, party and clog our limited roadways. They couldn't tell a golden cheeked warbler from a sparrow or a pristine, clear water spring from a drainage ditch. They honk their horns, tailgate and give everyone the finger on the roads. They clog up our fine restaurants, breeding impatience and all the while talking overly loud on their cell phones. They even complain about the heat! Stay where you are. Do not move to Austin, Texas.

[Martin Williams]

How does one decide who should be allowed to go to say, Antactica and who should not?
Now in my 60's and having done most of my 'adventurous' travelling during the 1970's & 80's I was so lucky not to have to wrestle with my concience about the carbon footprint I might be leaving, or the ideallic culture I might be corrupting. Some of that vocabulary hadn't yet been invented. Camping on the beach at Malia (Crete) with the 15 or 20 other campers; at breakfast time helping the (only) bar owner by getting water from the well while she ground coffee and her husband, face covered in shaving cream, made omlettes.
Living in a $1/night beach shack on Ko Samui, pre 'The Beach'; helping myself to the bar and leaving a note for the owner telling him what I had eaten and drunk....how precious those memories and how, almost impossible, for young people to find a contemporary equivalent.
Genuinely, I feel sorry that it is so difficult these days to find your own little bit of 'heaven on earth'.
Do I tell my grandchildren, don't go, you'll spoil it for others? They are the 'others'.
'Heaven on earth' is a finite resource which is being consumed at an ever increasing rate like everything else.

[Sara Walters]

I absolutely loved your straight forward attitude towards these locations and your ability to "tell it like it is". Please add Hawaii to your list. Perhaps if it gets a bad rap too people will stop coming and leave us locals alone!

[Tyler Vilander]

This is so true, I've been to Costa Rica twice and the first time so much more of the local animal life were on display. The second time that same life was hard found due to the larger developments pushing them all out.

[Mimi]

Instead of blacklisting these destinations, perhaps the author should offer some value evaluation criteria for eco-tourism; a constructive act that might aid these places and their people in developing a sustainable tourism industry.

[Max Mantius]

Patrick, I do see your point, for a second.

But you are somewhat arrogant to mention that.

[Max Mantius]

Don't forget Madagascar.

People need to be less selfish.

[primoseto]

nice info afterall..

maybe all we have to do is not to give the comments recklessly, instead we add more information to add the value of it.

[Sujan P (Australia)]

thanks for the post...

Don't go to Cancun. After the hurricanes in 2005, the Mexican authorities poured many million dollars of re-development money into the Quintana Roo resort towns. But the storms tore out the mangrove stands and many other plants that helped keep the sand from falling into the ocean and the ongoing environmental impact is ugly.

[Mr.Dedede]

Beyond Green Travel with Costas Christ
Top Ten Worst Green Travel Destinations
Globe-250 Text by Global Travel Editor Costas Christ

When NBC's TODAY Show Travel Editor Peter Greenberg asked me to contribute a list of the top 10 places people should avoid when they travel, to include in his new book, Don't Go There! (www.PeterGreenberg.com), I was a little reluctant at first. I am a firm believer that travel, no matter the destination, can be a powerful learning experience. In fact, some of my worst trips have been among the most interesting. They are the places I still tell stories about. But when looked through the lens of sustainable tourism principles—being environmentally friendly, helping to protect cultural and natural heritage, supporting the well-being of local people—there are some places that stand out, and its not for the better. So here is my top 10 must-avoid travel destinations list (or at least consider this warning so that you know what you are getting into before you go).

Cancun, Mexico - In the 1970s, Cancun was a small, coastal island with fishermen, local merchants and a few small pensions. Today it is a stretch of high-rises sporting some 30,000 hotel rooms. Mangrove forests were cut to accommodate this megadevelopment, clear-water lagoons were filled in, and wildlife disappeared, along with any sense that you are still in Mexico. Stand on Cancun's miracle mile of tourism and wet T-shirt contests and Jell-o shot bars pass for today's local culture. Mexico is one of the greatest travel destinations in the world, but Cancun is pure generic mass tourism.

Santorini, Greece - One of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean has become a text book example of paving paradise. Sure, it has amazing views and spectacular sunsets—just be prepared to share them with as many as 15,000 cruise ship passengers, all off-loading at the same time during the summer and pushing past each other for the best spot to take a photo. Condo, hotel, and tourist sprawl are spreading like a fungus over the landscape. Talk about killing the goose that lays the golden egg—find your Greece island inspiration elsewhere.

Orlando, Florida - It really is a small world after all. Every family in America would do better to experience it first hand by having a genuine cross-cultural experience of learning and discovery, rather than get taken for a ride by the marketing engine of overdeveloped and environmentally unfriendly theme parks.

Kuta, Bali - Take an unspoiled tropical beach, add a vibrant ancient culture, cap it off with friendly local villagers eager to share their rich heritage, and then trample it all with a parade of western brands such as Hard Rock Cafe, T.G.I. Friday's, and KFC. Certainly, tourism destinations change over time, but that does not mean they should be trashed beyond recognition. Skip this one and instead consider Bali's artistic capital, Ubud, where a more balanced path embraces the local culture rather than conquers it.

Dubai City, United Arab Emirates - Just one of Dubai's golf courses requires a million gallons of desalinated water a day to keep the grass green under the scorching desert sun. And it takes more than a gallon of crude to make one gallon of desalinated water. And that is before powering the air-conditioned indoor ski slopes, the gilded shopping malls, and the giant man-made islands shaped like palm trees just off shore that are causing sedimentation runoff onto fragile coral reefs. Is this really the way to make the desert bloom? Seek an alternative.

Myanmar - Aung San Suu Kyi, the only Noble Peace Prize winner living under house arrest for courageously opposing one of the most brutal military regimes in history, has called for international travelers to boycott Myanmar. Nelson Mandela did the same while under arrest during the height of apartheid rule in South Africa. Some tour operators run trips to Myanmar (formerly Burma) with the justification that giving the local people an opportunity to interact with the outside world is a good thing; meanwhile, they are making a business profit. Follow the real leaders and respect the travel boycott.

Antarctica - This is a "must see" on everyone's travel list, and that's the problem. Rapidly increasing tourism—some 40,000 tourists in 2008—to one of the most fragile and untouched environments on the planet could have a devastating impact. For instance, 49,000 gallons of fuel spilled into the waters of Antarctica when one cruise ship sank. (No one was hurt.) Another ship ran aground. Now major cruise companies want to bring in even more tourists on ever larger ships—Princess Cruises' Star Princess carries 3,800 passengers to Antarctica in one voyage. Time to call on the 46-nation Antarctic Treaty System to set limits before it's too late. Until then, think twice before making the trip.

China Beach, Vietnam - Local and foreign investors have scooped up nearly the entire vast tract of beautiful China Beach in central Vietnam, including ancestral burial grounds found there. Villagers have been forced to break open the coffins of their ancestors and take out the remains before the bulldozers level and bury the place, all in the name of building a parade of new mass tourism resorts. Do you really want to sleep in a hotel built right on top of a traditional burial ground where villagers honored dead ancestors for centuries and then, grief-stricken, were forced to remove their remains? Things did not have to go this route, so let's not reward it.

Costa Rica's Over-Developed Coast - There is a battle going on in Costa Rica, once the darling of ecotourism. The battle is between those who are working overtime to make the country a true green travel destination, and unscrupulous developers who like marketing the green label, but couldn't care less about practicing the principles. The latter are winning in Tamarindo, Jaco, and a string of other coastal areas that have succeeded in carving up the landscape into large condos and megahotels. Your travel choice makes a difference in this struggle. The Costa Rican Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) helps identify the good guys.

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania - Definitely stay on the crater rim in one of the great safari lodges and sip a gin and tonic while looking down into what naturalists have called the Eighth Wonder of the World—an ancient, unflooded, collapsed caldera that forms a natural zoological garden—if it survives, that is. Don't drive into the crater, unless you like your wildlife viewing in a parade of 4x4 vehicles. Save the up-close wildlife encounters for the 5,700 square miles of neighboring Serengeti National Park and let the inner crater have time to heal from tourism's wounds.

Do you agree with these selects? Do you have destinations to add? Let us know by posting your comments below.

Posted at 06:00 AM in Adventure Travel, Beyond Green Travel, Conservation, Costas Christ, Ecotourism, Environment, Sustainable Travel | Permalink
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Comments

The more people travel the quicker we will burn out all the oil. Therefore, travelling will once again become a thing for either very rich and curious or scientists.

Posted by: Alex | January 18, 2009 at 12:00 PM

I highly recommend Chicago. It's very fun, great sights, delicious foods at local restaurants, and the hotels are the finest you could fine.
The cost for the flight, not as good.

Posted by: S.Y.S | January 18, 2009 at 11:37 AM

I will suggest Pristine Jungle, Nicaragua

Pristine jungle was shredded down for making space for farmland along the Nicaraguan border.

Posted by: Gary Blake | January 16, 2009 at 06:41 AM

Guatemala its a place wonderfull!!!

Posted by: Wilder | January 15, 2009 at 11:09 PM

Last year, my family and I spent time in Guanacaste Province (NW corner), Costa Rica, and I have this to say: This is an area of charming dirt or broken asphalt roads and kind people, where one can get a sense of what CR used to be like. If you plan to visit, do it now. Like, today. Every square inch of the coastline appears to be either for sale, sold, or under development. Condos and time shares are proliferating. Young children wave your car down, and you believe that they perhaps wish to sell you native crafts. In fact, they wish to invite you to a pancake breakfast and timeshare tour. I am convinced that this charming area will in short order become the South Florida that requires a passport for entry. I became very ill while on vacation, and was very effectively treated by a doctor in a two-room clinic at the end of an alley. The price? $30 US. My guess is that the new timeshare owners will not tolerate such an atrocity, and the kind and gentle physician will soon find himself working for an HMO in a large, overpriced hospital. As I say, go now, or look elsewhere for paradise.

Posted by: Dave Dantos | January 15, 2009 at 08:33 PM

I'm glad to see Orlando, Fl made the list! As a local, I really despise the fact that the mass tourism and "bigger, better" theme parks are taking over. Much of the natural landscape is quickly being overtaken by malls, condos, and "cookie cutter" homes.

Although I'm not against traveling, people need to do it in a responsible way. And mass tourism is not responible. It not only destroys the sensitive environments, it also destroys the unique cultures of the locations and the interesting experiences you can have when intermingling with the locals.

Posted by: Mustang | January 15, 2009 at 04:17 PM

Thank you, Costas! I have come to agree with the fact that tourism to some places, no matter how "responsibly" it is done, has a negative impact overall. Like traveling to Myanmar, there are places here in Cambodia where I would argue that a visit is doing more harm than good. Places like the garbage dump in Phnom Penh, which I too visited and thought "as long as I do something to support groups countering the poverty, environmental degradation, and human rights violations here, my visit is justified" are areas I now, three years later, try to dissuade others from visiting at all. By making the squalor of the countries largest dump site a tourist attraction, a peripheral economy is able to grow around those visits. People can sell you water or begging can take the place of garbage picking, all of which make living on the dump more profitable than the opportunity to make up to .50 per day by collecting recyclable materials. This then creates more incentive to live on the dump, provides more reasons for families to send their kids to live and work there, and provides higher income to the adults who "buy" or "rent" kids to work on the dump for them.

Thank you for starting this list to remind us all that our own education and/or fun does not always justify our travel choices.

Posted by: Daniela Papi | January 15, 2009 at 11:29 AM

Don't go to the Egyptian Red Sea for dive, especially to Hurghada and Sharm El Sheik.
Once the gem of the Red Sea, those places now full with garbages as a result of uncaring boat owners who throve plastic forks and plates into the water just after ever meals.
Don't go anywhere to dive where similar happenes!

Posted by: Lajos Nemeth | January 14, 2009 at 03:35 PM

Pamukkale in Turkey is also a place to avoid. Once a beautiful cascade of salt beds, it's now a horror. Cappadocia is magnificent, though.

Posted by: Ruth S. | January 14, 2009 at 11:47 AM

I have read the majority of the comments from this post and a few things come to mind. First of all, many of the comments do not stick to the actual basis for which the article was written in the first place, and to my surprise one comment was pi**ed off at the author...why?

Nevertheless, many of the comments were very on point and I often find that some things are often taken out of context. especially in an article, email, IM conversation, text message, etc...) due to the lack of emotion that can be displayed.

Personally, I have traveled through much of the United States and have lived in Germany for over 5 years. I have traveled through much of Europe, save Eastern Europe and have nothing but fantastic experiences everywhere that we have traveled. However, one place in particular sticks out in our minds...that is Marseilles, France. After spending some time in the Middle East and seeing some of the filthiest streets in the world, Marseilles still tops that list. My wife is a huge fan of "The Count of Monte Cristo", thus we wanted to visit the island with the prison, however, we were so astonished at how dirty the streets were and the kilometer after kilometer of urban landscape that we had a short lunch and quickly left the city.

So, long story short...Marseilles, France is obviously very historical for many reasons yet not a place that I would suggest spending your hard-earned money to visit. Additionally, though I have not been to many of the places on this list...I think the author makes some fabulous points and it's important to note that he didn't want to write the article in the first place.

Posted by: W. Wessling | January 05, 2009 at 12:14 PM

I've been to Myanmar twice as an independent traveler. In fact, I just returned from my most recent trip a week ago.

Fact: Independent travelers in Burma bring with them desperately needed funds for untold thousands of people who make their livings in tourism and whose lives would be devastated by a travel boycott.

Fact: Independent travelers that go to Burma can expose themselves to the people and life in Burma, and upon their return report on what they saw, more effectively exposing the human rights violations of the military junta.

Fact: Though Aung San Suu Kyi is the undisputed leader of the National League for Democracy and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, she is human and therefore fallible. Her own colleagues have described her as being unnecessarily stubborn and her long term confinement and her arguably extreme views on boycotting travel in Burma could be construed as out-dated and needlessly detrimental to the lives of everyday Burmese people fighting to survive. Also, it should be noted that Aung San Suu Kyi's plea for a travel boycott was not unanimously accepted by her fellow opposition party members. Many active members that still live in Burma, opposing the regime at their personal daily peril, fervently disagree with a travel boycott.

Fact: Independent travelers that have visited Burma since the protests and crackdowns of 2007 (including myself) report that not a single Burmese citizen they met, *not one*, supported a travel boycott. Indeed the Burmese have pled for people to do the opposite. Visit, observe, report.

Fact: 99% of the people that support a Burma travel boycott have never stepped foot in Burma and don't know what the f*ck they're talking about.

"Follow the real leaders" indeed, but equally listen to the *people* and visit Myanmar (responsibly).

Posted by: Leif Pettersen | December 31, 2008 at 01:25 PM

It seems like Antarctica, the 5th largest landmass on the planet, should be able to sustain 40,000 visitors a year, especially since many of them will not be spending a single night actually on the landmass. I would definitely support adding Galapagos since it is such a fragile and or Las Vegas to that list. When speaking of Las Vegas though it must be considered how much of its huge energy bill comes from clean hydro power. Even if Vegas does use "clean" power though it must also be considered where else that power could be diverted to and put to better use. Lastly, golf courses in the desert never made much sense to me.

Posted by: Mike | December 30, 2008 at 07:51 PM

Great article!
People should pay attention with time shares going for .99 cents a week + upkeep fee of $700. Our area on Lake Michigan is about to be swallowed up by a billionaire (less the latest stock drop). They plan to drop in 88 mega mansions on the sandy shores - summer homes and bull doze the mystery city of Singapore,MI into history.
Thanks

Posted by: DougDutcher | December 30, 2008 at 04:08 PM

Bravo! No matter what you say people would travel. However, what we tourists demand will dictate what a location evolves into. Let's be honest,if we demand the authentic and natural only, mostly that will be supplied. No cheap import,no imitation.The power always lies with the customer. Be wise in your choices or blame no one else. Point one finger and three point back at you!

Posted by: brij | December 29, 2008 at 11:16 PM

This article reeks of backlash for a progressive and admirable country. The article alludes to Costa Rica as being carved up and not "walking the walk" which is absolutely not true. Certainly, there are those who abuse the environment, but the tendency has been and continues to be one of conservation and sustainability. Costa Rica is the leader in this area and certainly its top certified hotels (Finca Rosa Blanca, Lapa Rios, Villa Blanca and Si Como No)are world renown for their commitment to responsible tourism.In fact, Costa Rica has an article of its constitution which guarantees every citizen the right to a healthy environment which allows them to stop environmental abuse with direct access to the Federal Supreme Court. Furthermore, the government pays landowners not to cut trees and as a result over the last 15 years CR is the only country who has increased by 20% its green coverage (trees and plants). The CST is considered by most as the most stringent and complete certification system in the world, and 80% of all hotels in Costa Rica are under 50 rooms. To list Costa Rica as a "must-avoid travel destination" is absolutely ridiculous and appears to have ulterior motives.

Posted by: glenn jampol | December 29, 2008 at 06:41 PM

should add sanya beach in hainan province, China... its so-called development is scary..

Posted by: wanghi | December 25, 2008 at 05:17 AM

Thanks for the additions to the "do not visit" list of travel destinations. The underlying source of global warmimg and the destruction of the environment is over population. We should all consider limiting procreation to one or two children or not breeding at all as part of our efforts to reduce our carbon footprints and save the environment, wildlife and travel destinations for future generations.

Posted by: Doreen | December 24, 2008 at 08:44 AM

Definitely add HAWAII!! Especially WAIKIKI falls under the same category as Cancun, Mexico! I've lived in Hawaii for 3 years now, and I really don't understand why Waikiki Beach is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the world! Actually, it is the probably ugliest beach on the whole island of Oahu - and it's not even a natural beach! Walking through Waikiki - with basically all its souvenirs made in China, the Philippines, etc, and seeing some of the development on other parts of the beautiful islands - I really begin to understand why a lot of locals here have created such an aggressive animosity towards tourists.

Posted by: Jennifer | December 22, 2008 at 07:54 PM

I was shocked to see that Costa Rica had filthy beaches! Eco Tourists should demand that the country walk the walk instead of just talking the talk.

watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqgCYCvKeJs

Posted by: Gigi Yogini | December 21, 2008 at 11:56 PM

I absolutely agree. Thank you for bringing this up. Antartica tourism figures are really scary, to say the least, and that too in such a fragile environment...!

Posted by: Ronnie | December 21, 2008 at 11:46 PM

Hi. I noticed there is a rather arrogant theme here. I do not think I should feel guilty for traveling to a sight I would really like to experience. I sense many readers/writers have the whole 'It's alright if I visit, but I don't want anyone else to get in my way!' attitude. The world is obviously growing at an ever increasing rapid rate and our resources are always decreasing. Talking down on people for traveling is obviously not the answer and I believe your time would be better invested in looking into creating a sustainable environment everyone can enjoy instead of belittling us 'peasants' for traveling. Please reconsider your position and come back to reality where the rest of us reside. Please let me know if you have any questions. THANKS!

Posted by: Patrick Blech | December 21, 2008 at 11:09 PM

thanks for the post...how little i knew...thanks thanks .

Posted by: priya | December 21, 2008 at 11:00 PM

The "love of money is the root of evil". Is capitalism really that great ? People will sell their souls if they can make a buck.

Posted by: Richard | December 21, 2008 at 09:27 PM

Please add Galapagos Islands, Ecuador to the list. These pristine islands with their one-of-a-kind animals and plants is in extreme danger of too much tourism exposure. It's such an amazing place and I would hate to see it

[Alex]

The more people travel the quicker we will burn out all the oil. Therefore, travelling will once again become a thing for either very rich and curious or scientists.