Jungle Bay Resort owner Sam Raphael has given struggling Dominican farmers new jobs.
Photo: Matthew Wakem, Conde Nast Traveler

by Brook Wilkinson

There are organic labels for food, recyclable symbols for plastic. Now there's a seal of approval to tell you which travel companies are kindest to local people and environments: Conde Nast Traveler's World Savers Awards. And you can read about our latest winners in the September issue, on newsstands and online now.

Who are our World Savers? They are tour operators, destinations, small lodges and resorts, and chain hotels that have made a commitment to contribute to the local communities and preserve the environments around them. They help bring clean water, medicine, education, and jobs to impoverished people. They help maintain cultural and natural treasures. They protect the other species with whom we share this planet.

By choosing to travel with one of Conde Nast Traveler's World Saver honorees, you too are joining in, helping to maintain the world we all so love to explore. For the past 13 years, the magazine has recognized industry leaders who look beyond the bottom line. Among the judges who helped us select this year's World Savers were Oscar-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden and expedition company president Sven Lindblad. You can find a full list of our past Ecotourism Award and Green List winners online. Choose any of these companies and I can assure you that your money will be well spent.

Want a beach vacation? Try Jungle Bay Resort & Spa on Dominica, where owner Sam Raphael hands out microloans to underprivileged youth. Gotta see the Big Five? Visit Ol Seki Mara Camp in Kenya, which employs two of only ten Masai women ever to become guides in that country. Love kids? Take a trip through Southeast Asia with Buffalo Tours, and then visit the orphanage in Hanoi that the company supports. Find out how in our pages or online.