PUBLISHER’S NOTE

For many of us, the cusp of a new year isn’t just a time to gather with family and friends, but also a time of reflection. And so it seems entirely appropriate that we should think about how the travel industry can have a positive effect when things are done right. Not by deliberate design, the idea of traveling responsibly has emerged as an underlying theme across our feature stories this issue.

Responsible tourism can take a whole host of forms, whether it is choosing to steer clear of unethical attractions or spending our tourist dollars in places where they are sorely needed. One example of the latter is Zimbabwe, whose people are keen to revive the ailing tourism industry since the removal of strongman president Robert Mugabe from power. Husband-and-wife team Aaron Gulley and Jen Judge take in the country’s astonishing natural wonders while getting a sense of the Zimbabweans’ optimism after years of repression and economic ruin.

Halfway around the world in Sydney, contributing editor Natasha Dragun witnesses how aboriginal travel operators are opening the eyes of both locals and non-Australian visitors to their age-old traditions and the precolonial heritage hidden in plain sight. This story speaks to the idea of travel as education, that it can and should offer deeper levels of engagement with local people.

Sanjay Surana recounts a recent trip to southern Cambodia, where he wonders how long the sleepy town of Kampot can maintain its laid-back charm in the face of imminent development, which has transformed nearby Sihanoukville into a place brimming with Chinese-run casinos and factories. And finally in our cover story, Jason Overdorf ventures out from his home in Delhi to the farflung Andaman Islands to see the ways its first five-star resort is setting an example for ecotourism in a remote but increasingly popular destination.

As 2019 approaches, I hope your upcoming travels are stimulating, unforgettable, and in their own small way, a force for good.