It's hard to pinpoint the exact moment when ecotravel became mainstream, but as global warming and the dwindling of fossil fuels have become crucial issues, travelers have turned more and more to environmentally conscious options when planning their vacations. It's no surprise, then, that hotels, airlines, and pretty much everybody else in the travel business have been rushing to declare themselves "green."
Plenty of luxury properties call themselves green just for asking guests to take it easy on the towel turnover, but Katie Maschman, of the International Ecotourism Society, a nonprofit group promoting sustainable travel, explains, "The "eco" in ecolodge doesn't just stand for ecology. To be considered an ecolodge, a place must be beneficial to the environment and the local community and economy."
See Australia Travel Guide | See Bahamas Travel Guide | See Vancouver Travel Guide | See Montana Travel GuideSee Africa Travel Guide
$1165+: Rome, Athens & Cairo 6-nt combo w/airfare EuropeanDestinations.com
$2695+: Weeklong Vancouver Island fitness retreat Coastal Trek Health & Fitness Resort
$2350+: South Africa 8-nt adventure tour; $300 off iExplore
Australia & South Pacific Trips from $998 Editors' Review
Egypt Tours from $399 Editors' Review
$200 off Bahamas Vacations with Flight Editors' Review
$1594+: Egypt 6-nt trip w/flight & Nile River cruise STI Travel
Up to 30% off: 4-nt stay on Grand Bahama Island w/air Sheraton Grand Bahama Island Our Lucaya Resort
$669+: Alaska 7-nt cruise on Celebrity Millennium Celebrity
$229+: Bahamas 4-night cruise on Norwegian Sky Norwegian
$260+: Bahamas 3-nt cruise on Majesty of the Seas Royal Caribbean
$539+: Bahamas 3-night cruise on Disney Wonder Disney
$279+: Bahamas 3-nt sail on RC Majesty of the Seas Royal Caribbean
$499+: Alaska 7-night on Diamond Princess Princess
$499+: Bahamas 3-nt cruise on Disney Wonder Disney
$219+: Bahamas 4-night cruise on Norwegian Sky Norwegian
$369+: Bahamas 4-night voyage on Norwegian Sky Norwegian
Early-Booking Hawaii Cruise from $919 Editors' Review
76% off Caribbean and Bahamas Cruises from Baltimore Editors' Review
$289+: Pacific Coast voyage on Celebrity Cruises Celebrity
$519+: 7-night Carnival cruise w/College Fjord Cruise.com
$999+: Australia & South Pacific cruises Expedia
$384+: 7-nt Caribbean cruise on Costa Atlantica Cruise.com
$329+: Bahamas 3-nt cruise round-trip from Miami Royal Caribbean
$389+: 7-nt beach cruise w/Roatan & Belize City Cruise.com
$179+: Bahamas 4-nt summer cruises from Miami Expedia
$189+: Bahamas 4-nt cruises w/up to $50 ship credit Travelocity
$148/nt+: Bahamas summer resort stay w/3rd nt free Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort
Picnic Packages from $75/Night Editors' Review
Bahamas vacations from $173/night Editors' Review
$141+: Affordable luxe 5-star Brisbane hotel Travelocity