Wales Is Honoured As 7th Greatest Destination In The World By National Geographic SurveySource: Welsh Assembly Government Posted on: 27th October 2009In the November/ December edition of the National Geographics Traveler Magazine, Wales is ranked 7th among 133 destinations surveyed in a sixth annual survey of destination stewardship.The survey is carried out by the National Geographic Societys Centre for Sustainable Destinations.The survey is not positioned as a popularity contest but rather as an assessment of authenticity and stewardship and how development, mass tourism, pollution and globalization has affected some of the worlds iconic destinations.Wales was ranked seventh as one of the best rated places, said to be in excellent shape relatively unspoiled and likely to remain so. Also in seventh position were the Berkshires in Massachusetts, USA; Douro Valley in Portugal and the Engadine Region, Switzerland. The Fjords, Norway came top of the survey.A panellists comments about Wales were: I was gobsmacked by the beauty of the Welsh countryside, while another said that it was: extraordinary verdant with 500,000 Welsh Speakers. The downsides were marked as the rainy weather and environmental degradation from mining.Heritage Minister, Alun Ffred Jones commented:Its fantastic news for Wales that weve been ranked so highly in this survey. The surveys focus is on how a destination has retained its authenticity and has developed sustainably which is crucial in these days of mass tourism. The Assembly Government has emphasised that for tourism to prosper it is essential that we safeguard and enhance our unique assets which visitors come here to enjoy. Our Sustainable Tourism Framework acknowledges that the potential of the environment will always be a key priority in the development of tourism. In addition to this, we believe that tourism development considers the needs and quality of life of local communities, enhance and respect culture and local traditions, contribute to local economic prosperity as well as minimise damage to the environment.We pride ourselves in selling Wales as a destination which is authentic, real and unique. By staying true to Wales core values we can develop tourism in a sustainable manner which wont degrade our natural assets. Our marketing campaigns position Wales as a destination which can offer a truer, richer, deeper, experience where people can get involved in the local history and culture and landscape.Topics: globalization, Great destination, National geographic, pollution, stewardship, tourism, Wales, Wales core values, Welsh countryside