The New York Times has published its yearly list of the greatest places to visit throughout the world.
This year's list is titled "52 Places for a Changed World". The list includes places, entities, institutions, and collectives from all around the world that work to improve their local and global communities, do not contribute to over-tourism, and/or that are working to combat climate change.
The newspaper expands that this is defined as "places where change is actually happening — where endangered wildlands are being preserved, threatened species are being protected, historical wrongs are being acknowledged, fragile communities are being bolstered — and where travellers can be part of the change."
South Africa, and particularly its national parks, is ranked 15th on the list.
After nearly two years of travel restrictions, South Africa's great wildlife reserves and conservation programs are in desperate need of assistance. The NYtimes emphasized ways visitors can directly support wildlife, such as volunteering with the Endangered Wildlife Trust to monitor biodiversity at Medike Nature Reserve and the many jobs provided by tourism in the country.
Other parks and private reserves that were named include iSimangaliso Wetland Park, the Great African Seaforest, Kariega, and Manyeleti. ISimangaliso was cited as it supports more than 12,000 jobs and an environmental education program involving 150 schools.
