A list of travel bests’ hits on some of the usual suspects

The Faroe Islands in Denmark were rated No. 1 by National Geographic Traveler’s panel of experts in sustainable tourism and destination stewardship; readers of other glossy magazines opted for the usual “best island” suspects: Maui and Bali.

Japanese travelers turn to Bali

Also according to the Japan National Travel Association, travel to the U.S. Mainland has declined 6.2 percent through November, while travel to Canada is down 14.8 percent through October.

Australia, New Zealand, Guam and the Northern Marianas also are seeing fewer Japanese travelers.

However, Japanese travel to Bali, Indonesia, is up 40.7 percent, while trips to Macau have increased 34.4 percent.

Bali Tourism hoping for direct connectivity from India

The Bali Government Tourism Office recently held its third Indian road show that attracted buyers and sellers from both countries. Speaking to Express TravelWorld, Nyoman Wardawan, its head of tourism promotion division, said, "India and China are growing markets and people from these countries are travelling more. The Indian youth, like the Japanese, are travelling by themselves to new destinations and Bali could be a good choice."

The road show which featured delegates from Balanese hotels, resorts, the tourism board and the Indonesian consulate visited the key metro cities of Mumbai, Chennai, New Delhi and Hyderabad.

Can I fly to Bali direct?

I want to visit Bali next April, but do it myself, rather than use a tour operator. What's the best and cheapest way to fly there direct? Jamie Bell, London

Sunday Times travel expert Richard Green responds: Currently, all Indonesian airlines are banned from entering European Union airspace, so there aren't any direct flights from the UK to Bali.

Holiday hotspots: where to go in 2008

The great hope for 2008 is that tourism, like other global industries, can find a way to be both green and profitable. At present, niche operators such as hotelier Campbell Gray (One Aldwych and Carlisle Bay, among others) can safely target the sliver of wealthy travellers who really do prefer a single perfect apple in an earthenware bowl to a huge basket of waxy fruit wrapped in cellophane. Still, a decisive shift is taking place and any hotel-owner who thinks that going green means putting a little card in the bathroom asking you whether you want your towels washed has spectacularly missed the point.

The World Tourism Organisation (WTO) says that tourism accounts for 10 per cent of global GDP. International tourism will triple in next 20 years and international arrivals are expected to rise from 700 million to 1.6 billion by the year 2020.