15 Responsible Travel Businesses

In many ways, responsible travel businesses are at the forefront of social businesses and the ethical community. There are many reasons for this. One big one is the damage that tourism and travel can do to both local communities and the environment.

It's no surprise, then, that at the end of December 2012, the United Nations General Assembly considered the vital role of ecotourism for international development in a resolution called "Promotion of ecotourism for poverty eradication and environment protection."

Essentially, the resolution called for the use of environmentally conscious and socially sustainable responsible travel businesses in order to create a relationship between tourists and local communities that can preserve the environment and provide community development through job creation and education.

The responsible travel businesses in this Social Business top list range from surfing to hiking -- and they all have a social component.