Once again, Palau has been named as one of the top ten ethical destinations in the world by Ethical Traveler, a nonprofit organization seeking to use the economic clout of tourism to protect human rights and the environment.
As stated in their web site, Palau was chosen for the following reasons:
To protect marine life, the Palau government has set aside about 80 per cent of its maritime territory as a sanctuary and has encouraged locals to turn to aquaculture, such as crab and milkfish farming. Over-tourism and its resulting environmental damage is a growing problem worldwide, and Palau is tackling it with some far-reaching changes. The government aims to promote high-value growth instead of high-volume growth, curbing the number of tourists visiting but increasing the amount they spend during their stay. In addition, visitors must sign the Palau Pledge to act responsibly to protect the island’s natural and cultural heritage.