In this article, we are going to discuss the country with the most beautiful forests. If you’re also interested in other countries with the most magical woodlands, here is our full list of the 16 Countries With the Most Beautiful Forests in the World.
The Global Tourism Industry:
Tourism has evolved into a massive industry with time, encompassing several other sectors, such as hospitality, transport, entertainment etc. In 1950, at the dawn of the jet age, just 25 million people took foreign trips, and by 2019, that number had reached a mammoth 1.5 billion. As we mentioned in our article – 15 States With the Most Beautiful Beaches in the US – the global Travel & Tourism (T&T) industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.1% between 2021 and 2026, to be worth an estimated $8.9 trillion by the end of the forecast period.
The World Tourism and Travel Council has reported that the T&T sector contributed 9.1% to the global GDP in 2023, an increase of 23.2% from 2022 and only 1.4% below the pre-pandemic levels of 2019.
Preserving the World’s Forests:
Conserving and restoring forests not only helps in mitigating climate change and preventing biodiversity loss but also provides livelihoods to millions of people around the globe. A report by the World Economic Forum has revealed that more than half of our annual global GDP, or $44 trillion, is potentially threatened by nature less. As a result, several governments and organizations are now working together to safeguard the world’s forests and ensure a greener future for our coming generations.
1t.org is the trillion trees platform of the WEF, serving as the global movement to conserve, restore, and grow a trillion trees by 2030. It was announced earlier this year that the worldwide initiative has already achieved 12 billion trees pledged in over 100 countries by the private sector to support livelihoods and ecosystem restoration. Among the 27 companies that shared the financial spending associated with their pledge, investment in conservation, restoration, and supporting activities exceeded $130 million.
Similarly, earlier this year, the Mark Cuban-backed climate startup dClimate also inked a preliminary deal with the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to generate $1 billion in carbon credits. The initiative aims to combat deforestation in a significant portion of the Congo Basin, the second-largest tropical rainforest in the world, estimated to capture 822 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually. Under the program, dClimate will compensate the Central African country for safeguarding 500,000 hectares of peatlands, preventing the release of approximately 100 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over the next decade.
The Need for Sustainable Tourism:
Sustainable tourism can be defined as a kind of tourism that has more positive than negative impacts, especially relating to the environment, the economy, and communities. The popularity of beaches/forests/mountains etc as ideal getaways leads to overflowing masses of tourists every year, putting these unique yet fragile environments at risk.
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HLT) is among the most recognizable names in the hospitality industry. The Virginia-based company manages and franchises a broad portfolio of the best beach resorts and eco-hotels, steps away from some of the most picturesque natural environments in the world. Hilton’s global Travel with Purpose strategy aims to reduce the operational environmental footprint of the group’s hotels worldwide, enabling guests to travel more sustainably and paving the way towards a net-zero future for the hospitality industry. From preserving mangroves in Curaçao to restoring the United Kingdom’s woodland areas through exceptional conservation, ecotourism is already the way of the future for Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HLT).
Hilton Worldwide plans to open 24 new hotels globally in 2024, including company debuts in Asia-Pacific and Europe, and brand debuts in the United States, the company announced in November 2023. Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HLT) ranks among the Most Valuable Hotel Companies in the World.
Similarly, Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) has also embarked on a comprehensive sustainability and social impact initiative to reduce the impact of its operations on the environment and equip its hotels with products, services, and operations that conserve resources and minimize waste. The Maryland-based company aims to achieve sustainability certification for 100% of its hotels and green building certifications for 650 properties by 2025. Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) is also seeking to redefine the nature of travel so holidays become synonymous with social impact, and so the company has piloted a program across its Asia Pacific locations that enables visitors to contribute to environmental protection and marine conservation. Launched in early 2021, Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy is a program that offers meaningful travel, allowing tourists the opportunity to create a positive impact as they explore and build deeper connections in local communities.
Shares of MAR were held by 58 hedge funds at the end of Q1 2024 in the Insider Monkey database, with a collective stake value of over $2.27 billion. Fundsmith LLP held the largest stake of around 4.3 million shares, valued at $1.1 billion.
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) is placed among the Largest Travel Companies in the World.
Methodology:
To collect data for this article, we have referred to sources such as Travel + Leisure, Forbes, Condé Nast Traveler, Reddit etc., looking for the Countries with the Most Charming Forests. To make sure we give you only the best, we picked countries that appeared multiple times in the aforementioned sources, assigned them a score of 1 each time they were recommended on these websites, and then summed up the scores and ranked our list accordingly. When two or more countries had the same score, we ranked them by the number of foreign tourists they received in 2022 instead.
1. United States of America
Insider Monkey Score: 16
The United States boasts stunning natural beauty from coast to coast, and even off the mainland. The country’s 154 national forests encompass more than 188 million acres of public land, making it a haven for those who love the great outdoors and the wilderness. Utah’s Fishlake National Forest is a prime example of a recreationist’s paradise, with its pristine lakes, mountains, scenic rivers, and a wide variety of wildlife. California’s Redwood National Forest is also a natural wonder, popular for its old-growth redwoods which at a height of over 300 feet, are the tallest tree species in the world.
In June 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced an investment of $188 million aimed at conserving some of the most economically and ecologically significant forestlands across the nation.
To learn more about other countries with the most charming forest areas, you can refer to our list of the 16 Countries With the Most Beautiful Forests in the World.
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