Dominica was officially ranked as the top sustainable island in the Caribbean and among the top ten in the world when National Geographic’s Center for Sustainable Destinations (CSD) surveyed conditions on 111 selected islands and archipelagos in its fourth annual Destination Scorecard survey, which appears in the November/December 2007 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

 

An independent panel, which consisted of 522 well-traveled experts and aided by George Washington University in Washington DC, considered the qualities that make world-wide island destinations unique using six criteria weighted according to importance: 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.

With a score of 77, Dominica tied as the number one rated sustainable destination in the Caribbean and is noted for being a “Beautiful country. Still largely forested, amazing biodiversity, great bird watching and scuba diving.”

The article also states “The Nature Isle is aptly named - awesome power and incredible beauty of nature unspoiled.

Its lush mountains, indigenous population, art, craft, agro-based products and small-scale accommodation facilities all add to the opportunity for sustainable tourism development.”

The survey was conducted by the CSD, whose mission is to help protect the world's distinctive places through wisely managed tourism and enlightened destination stewardship. The CSD works to attain this goal through “geotourism,” defined as “tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of the place being visited - its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of its residents.”