Tourism continues to surge as a world economic force, contributing nearly $5.5 trillion to the world's economy in 2004. A growing trend in travel is the desire of many tourists for non-typical tourist experiences, such as "ethical" adventures.

Ecotourism, geotourism, and pro-poor tourism are among the increasingly popular niches in the travel industry that aim to address consumers' ethical concerns, reports the Worldwatch Institute. Which hotel more actively protects the environment? Which offers better support of its local community? Such questions may be more important to vacationers than a hotel's proximity to the beach or the type of mint left on the pillow.

One factor driving this conscientious tourism is the growth of international travel, which exposes visitors to the impacts they may have on the cultures 

Ecotourism: Responsible travel to sites where the environment is conserved and where the welfare of local peoples is promoted.

Geotourism: Travel that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place, including its environment, heritage, aesthetics, and culture.

Nature-based tourism: Tourism that relies on promoting a location's natural environment.

Pro-poor tourism: Travel experiences that produce net benefits for poor people in the host site.

Responsible tourism: Any tourism that maximizes benefits for local communities and minimizes negative impacts on the environment or local culture.

Sustainable tourism:Tourism that meets the needs of present travelers and host countries while protecting and enhancing opportunities for future tourism experiences. @Source:Vital Signs 2005.

Low-cost air travel is contributing to this increased international travel, but one result is more air pollution and other environmental costs that are not factored into the price of tourism. Now, environmentally conscious travelers can choose an airline that offsets its carbon emissions by purchasing credits for the amount of miles they fly, Worldwatch reports. The traveler pays more for the flight, but is assured that the extra money is invested in green technologies, reforestation projects, or other efforts to counter the emissions produced by that flight.

Eagerness to attract the ethical dollar may lead to unethical marketing practices, raising the specter of "greenwashing." "The increasing market demand for responsible tourism has led many businesses to adopt names suggesting they are environmentally responsible," warns Worldwatch researcher Zoë Chafe in Vital Signs 2005. "While some are indeed examples of true ecotourism, many others are not. They may make superficial changes to their operations, encourage guests to reuse towels (a move that saves water, but that is often motivated by a desire to cut costs), or actually do nothing to improve their operations."

To counter such greenwashing, new certification programs are emerging to measure tourism companies' ethical practices, using environmental, social, and cultural criteria. For example, Costa Rica has a Certification for Sustainable Tourism program, and a Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council is scheduled to be launched in 2006 to standardize tourism certifications adopted in various regions. As industry standards are delineated and certifications issued, consumers will be more assured that their efforts to travel conscientiously are mirrored in the companies they patronize.

Many tourists also want to leave behind an ethical footprint by donating to various causes in the places they visit. "Travelers are often so moved by their experiences that they want to contribute in some way to host communities, many of which are impoverished," notes Chafe. So tourism companies such as Airline Ambassadors International and the Africa Foundation have emerged to help distribute travelers' donations to health, educational, or conservation programs.

Source: Vital Signs 2005 by the Worldwatch Institute (W.W. Norton, 2005). Order online from the Futurist Bookshelf, www.wfs.org/bkshelf.htm.