Caribbean islands place in top 10 ethical travel destinations for 2016

Two Caribbean islands have been placed on the list of the top ten ethical travel destinations in the world.

Dominica and Grenada made the list for 2016, that was released on Thursday by the California-based nonprofit organization, Ethical Traveler, of the “10 most forward-thinking countries in the developing world.”

According to Ethical Traveler, each country is reviewed for its performance in the areas of human rights, social welfare, animal welfare and environmental protection. Each country also needs to have plenty of appeal as a travel destination.

“By spending travel dollars in forward-thinking countries, explorers can reward the good guys — and encourage humane practices worldwide,” the Ethical Traveler’s report said.

According to the report, Dominica made it to the list for its cautious progress in respecting and guaranteeing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) rights and for leading other Caribbean islands in the area of healthcare, education and the development of geothermal energy.

To compile its reports, Ethical Traveler gets its information from sources including Freedom House, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Reporters Without Borders, UNICEF, LGBT resources and the World Bank, and focuses on four categories: environmental protection, social welfare, human rights and animal welfare.

Dominica previously made it to the list in 2010, 2014 and 2015. This is the first time for Grenada.