Travel & Nature (eco-travel)

As more hotels and tourism outfits realize the marketing potential of the eco brand, it's become harder to know what really constitutes bonafide eco-tourism. Fortunately the Rainforest Alliance has launched an Eco-Index Sustainable Tourism, which features businesses in Latin America and the Caribbean that have been deemed environmentally and socially friendly by reputable environmental organizations and/or ecotourism certification programs.

The goal of this site is to help responsible travelers and tour agencies choose destinations that are not only beautiful, but also benefit the communities, flora and fauna they will be visiting. Funded by the Multilateral Investment Fund of the Inter-American Development Bank, the site lists hundreds of ecotourism options throughout the region, searchable by country, activity, certification program, and accommodation. It also boasts a news page called Sustainable Tourism Connections with updates from the region.