Norway

Like the first Destination Rated survey in 2004, Norway’s fjords region has again taken top honors, with a score of 85 points. Judges noted the gorgeous scenery and well-preserved rural life that are vigorously protected. Others making the top “Best Rated Places” category range from Japan’s ancient Kyoto (#4, 79 points) for honoring the “serenity and charm of ancient Japan” to Slovenia, formerly part of communist Yugoslavia, tied at #5 (78 points) for being among the most sustainable and authentic places to visit in Europe.

The United Kingdom is the country with the most winners in this year’s top category: England’s Yorkshire Dales, Scotland’s Highlands, and Wales.

A total of 133 destinations were surveyed by a panel of 437 well-traveled experts in a variety of fields related to sustainable tourism. The survey is the cover story of the November-December 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine, on newsstands Nov. 3.

“We hope the survey will bring attention to the places faring well, as well as to those in trouble, often due to reckless development and commercialism,” said Jonathan Tourtellot, director of the Center for Sustainable Destinations, which conducted the survey. “If there is a blessing to the global downturn, it is the respite from such rampant, quick-buck degradation of Earth’s remaining beautiful places.”

The best U.S. ranking was the state of Vermont at #5 (78 points), scoring well not only for its scenic countryside but for environmental and social sustainability practices. Two other U.S. destinations made the top category: Oregon and Washington’s Columbia Gorge region (#6, 77 points) and Massachusetts’ Berkshires (#7, 76 points). Canada impressively took places #2 (81 points) and #3 (80 points), for British Columbia’s Kootenay and Yoho national parks on the western slope of the Canadian Rockies and for Quebec’s Gaspe Peninsula that juts into the Gulf of St. Lawrence with oceanfront, islands and mountains.

Examples of other successes:

• Tanzania’s Serengeti Plain went up 10 points (to 71 points, #12) since it was first surveyed in 2006, compared to Kenya’s Masai Mara score, which went down three points (now 53 points, #29), reflecting the countries’ varying efforts in conservation even though they share the same ecosystem.
  
• Mid-coast California, from Santa Barbara to Monterey, is up eight points (71 points, #12) since the first 2004 survey, largely due to solid, good stewardship — not to mention the mix of wild coasts, mountains and wineries.
  
• Hue, Vietnam, considered by many to be the most beautiful city in that country, is up 11 points (64 points, #19) — the highest upward leap from previous rankings — largely because of the restoration of its spectacular citadel.
  
• Rajasthan, India, referred to as “India’s Tuscany” by one panelist, experienced an eight-point jump (64 points, #19) in five years, sparked particularly by improved tourist facilities. It also boasts a strong sense of cultural identity and remarkable appeal and mystique, panelists noted.
  
• Copán, the famed Maya ruins in Honduras, had a seven-point jump (68 points, #15) since it was first surveyed in 2006, due to excellent local guides and dedicated management, and other attractions, from coffee farms to local hot springs.

There were surprises. The Grenadine Islands in the Caribbean experienced a sharp dip of 15 points (now 62 points, #21) since it was first surveyed in 2007; this string of several hundred islands once ranked near the top of the Destination Scorecard but has dropped due to commercialization and damaging real estate deals. The Inside Passage in Alaska and British Columbia dropped markedly in the rankings since the first Destinations Rated survey in 2004 (64 points, #19), though still making the “Places Doing Well” category; panelists said the destination leaves one with a sense of awe, but the culture of the coastal towns is being overwhelmed by tourists and cruise ships.

A number of destinations were rated for the first time, including Arizona’s Sonora Desert (63 points, #20), the Bahamas’ Eleuthera Island (71 points, #12), Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro beach districts (54 points, #28), the Chesapeake Bay region (42 points, #40), Florida’s Sanibel and Captiva islands (53 points, #29) and New York’s Long Island: Hamptons to Montauk (51 points, #31).

The panelists, all experts in various travel-related fields, were asked to evaluate the qualities that make a destination unique, measuring the “integrity of a place” and assessing its authenticity and stewardship. The ratings were based on six criteria: 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 destinations are divided into five categories, listed below with examples:

• Best-Rated Places (in excellent shape, relatively unspoiled and likely to remain so: 85- to 74-point range) New Zealand’s South Island, Australia’s Kakadu National Park, Spain’s Medieval Granada and the Alhambra, Chile’s Torres del Paine, Portugal’s Douro Valley.
  
• Places Doing Well (retaining sense of place, with a few surmountable problems: 73- to 64-point range) Brazil’s Pantanal wetlands, Maine’s coast, Italy’s Tuscany, Austria’s Salzburg historic center, Ireland’s Ring of Kerry, Yellowstone/Grand Teton region.
  
• Places in the Balance (a mixed bag of successes and worries, with the future at risk: 63- to 53-point range) Michigan’s Traverse City and lakeshore, Arizona’s Sonora Desert region, Hawaii’s Maui and Island of Hawaii (Big Island), Jordan’s Petra, Texas Hill County, Bali, Cape Cod, Greece’s Santorini island, Turkey’s Azure Coast.
  
• Places with Troubles (under severe pressures; many places working to recover: 52- to 42-point range) Honduras’ North Coast, New York’s Long Island Shore, Tahiti, Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands, Great Smoky Mountains, Florida’s Everglades and Big Cypress, Beijing’s historic districts, Italy’s Venice and lagoon, Egypt’s Luxor archaeological area, pollution-plagued Chesapeake Bay.
  
• Worst-rated (severe problems; some destinations fighting back, some not: 41- to 31-point range) West Bank’s Bethlehem, Dominican Republic’s north coast, Egypt’s Northern Red Sea coast, Spain’s Costa del Sol.

  National Geographic’s Center for Sustainable Destinations is dedicated to protecting the world’s distinctive places through wisely managed geotourism and enlightened destination stewardship.

  See more details on the 133 iconic destinations ranked for wisely managed tourism at
  www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler.

  Note: Images of several of the “Places Rated” destinations are available at the following ftp site: http://ftp.nationalgeographic.com/pressroom/announcement_destinations/

  username: press
  password: press

Nepal’s New Path — A strong case can be made for Nepal as the birthplace of the adventure travel movement. Nowhere else on the planet boasts such dramatic mountain scenery (Everest and Annapurna) and such a crazy confluence of religions and cultures (Hinduism mixed with Buddhism mixed with a variety of local isms). National Geographic Adventure Contributing Editor James Vlahos returns from a five-week trek on the newly developed 1,600-mile Great Himalaya Trail — your everyday hiking path, if you consume a diet of red meat, anabolic steroids and nails. And the trail, stupefyingly grand and astounding to even the most well-traveled visitors, just might help unify a country healing from 10 years of civil war. Page 58.

Here Be Dragons — Strictly speaking, there are no rules against camping in Indonesia’s Komodo National Park. It’s just that most people think twice about pitching a tent on an island patrolled by marauding, man-eating lizards. National Geographic Adventure Contributing Editor Tom Clynes sleeps out — and lives to tell of the last place on the planet where reptiles still rule. Page 66.

Norway Takes Off — Watch your back, Chamonix. There’s a new European action mecca in the making: Norway. National Geographic Adventure West Coast Editor Steve Casimiro tackles the Scandinavian hotbed one heli-bike, climb, paddle, dogsled and surf at a time. Page 72.

Next Weekend: The Snow Report ’10 — If you’re now just sharpening your edges and heating up the wax, chances are you’ve already missed the first turns of the 2010 ski/snowboard season. But fear not, this winter is shaping up to be a fierce one. National Geographic Adventure’s annual snow report rounds up 16 places where the perfect powder day awaits. Plus: Powder, crud, groomers or bumps. This year’s hottest skis and boards can handle anything you throw at them. Page 30.

Adventure on the Web (ngadventure.com) — Hone your outdoor skills with Adventure’s new how-to videos featuring National Geographic correspondents. Find dozens of products field-tested by Adventure editors and hundreds more in our Gear Guide. Get the latest news on adventure travel destinations, trips and trends. Learn West Coast Editor Casimiro’s photography secrets in a technical tutorial online. Page 12.

*Contact Ethan Fried if you have questions, need additional information or would like to schedule an interview with a National Geographic Adventure expert.

The Montréal Geotourism Council managed the community-based process over the past year, including reviewing the nearly 400 local nominations to determine the places that best meet the geotourism definition and uphold the 13 principles of the Geotourism Charter. Montréal was the first city in the world to sign the charter, in 2007.

The MapGuide will be distributed locally by Tourisme Montréal at information centers and businesses featured on the MapGuide, and internationally through Tourisme Montréal’s overseas offices. One side of the MapGuide shows a satellite image of Montréal that makes clear that this international city is both an island and an area that has an incredible amount of green space mixed in with its urban landscape. The reverse side provides a street map of downtown Montréal and Old Montréal, full of insiders’ tips on the city’s best food, fashion, architecture, museums and walks.

“The Geotourism MapGuide highlights the reasons why Montréal is a must-see destination: lively urban life, myriad festivals and cultural and sports events, a museum network, as well as recreational and outdoor facilities. Montréal is also a unique city with its French flair and many cultural communities that call it home. By agreeing to the stringent criteria of the National Geographic Society’s Geotourism Charter, Montréal became a reference point in terms of an eco-responsible urban centre and a pioneering city as a sustainable destination,” said the mayor of Montréal, Gérald Tremblay.

Produced in both French and English on recycled paper, the MapGuide features descriptive listings and map points of attractions, hotels, businesses and interesting environmental and cultural assets and activities nominated by the residents of Montréal. Montréal’s parks are highlighted: The whole map has a “green” focus, including the city’s highest point — Mount Royal Park — designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, also famous for New York’s Central Park. A number of map points are food recommendations, from trendy French cafés and bakeries to the Taverne Normand, an old-fashioned tavern that the map deems “agreeably rowdy” on hockey nights.

“Montréal has proactively embraced sustainability policies, so visitors are treated to an outstanding city that is culturally vibrant and environmentally aware,” said Jonathan B. Tourtellot, director of the Center for Sustainable Destinations.” It’s appropriate that our first urban Geotourism MapGuide is for Montréal. This city is a role model for other places around the world beginning to embrace geotourism.”

For the first time in a National Geographic MapGuide, quotes and drawings from local children are featured in a special “City for Kids” section. Two schools — École Saint-Bernardin and École Marguerite-Bourgeoys — participated in an essay and drawing contest to illustrate what Montréal means to them. The schools’ fourth-grade students attended the launch, and the Montréal Geotourism Council presented them with a plaque to recognize their contribution to this local project.

Additional features of the Montréal MapGuide include an introduction by Dr. Kathy Reichs, author and forensic anthropologist; theme text blocks; a timeline on the “History of Montréal”; and 10 “Geotraveler Tips” to help travelers immerse themselves in the locale. “Montréal is the leading lady of contradictions — flirting with her future while embracing her past, vigorously blending French and English, harmonizing the steel skyscrapers of downtown with the green gems of her parks,” writes Reichs about her adopted city.

One of six local experts to contribute text blocks, fashion designer Jean-Claude Poitras notes, “Montréal’s ties to France shape the city’s sophisticated tastes. They also give it early notice of European trends in arts and business, which helps explain Montréal’s creative edge in 21st-century industries.”

Project coordinator Marie-Claude Joly says the Council posed a simple question to local residents when creating the MapGuide — “What’s so special about your place?” — as the initial criterion for the geotourism nominations. Montréal embraced the geotourism concept in 2006, recognizing the importance of destination stewardship and wisely managed tourism to Montréal’s future growth and sustainability.

Partnering with National Geographic on the co-branded MapGuide project are the 12 members of the Geotourism Council: Héritage Montréal, The World Center for Excellence for Destinations Tourisme Montréal, Ville de Montréal, Destination Centre-Ville, Ministère de la Culture, des Communications et de la Condition féminine, Parks Canada, Old Port of Montréal Corporation, Société de développement de l’avenue du Mont-Royal, Les Amis de la montagne, Parc Jean-Drapeau and Université du Québec à Montréal. Substantial leadership and financial support is provided through the Ministère de la Culture, des Communications et de la Condition féminine du Quebec, Ville de Montréal and Tourisme Montréal under the Entente sur le développement culturel de Montréal.

National Geographic’s Center for Sustainable Destinations provided overall project direction under Jonathan Tourtellot and Cheryl Hargrove; National Geographic Maps handled all design and cartography related to the production of the MapGuide. Andre Jean Lauzon served as destination editor; Canadian David Thomas wrote the text and map notes; Jay Walljasper served as overall project editor.

The National Geographic Society has worked with community-based alliances to develop similar Geotourism MapGuides in several other regions around the world. MapGuide projects have been completed in Greater Yellowstone, the Central Cascades (Oregon, Washington), the Crown of the Continent (Alberta, British Columbia, Montana), Guatemala, Sonoran Desert (Arizona, Sonora), Romania, Norway, Honduras, Peru, Baja California, Rhode Island, Vermont and Appalachia.

Additional information on geotourism in Montréal is available at www.montrealgeo.com (in French at www.geomontreal.com).