México is placed 2nd among the most naturally beautiful countries in the world, according to the article pusblished and written by Gwen McClure, Collaborator of Travel & Leisure Magazine.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a country that doesn’t offer any natural assets, but some are more naturally gifted than others.
So, what makes a country quantifiably the most naturally beautiful? The report takes into account several factors, including the number of World Heritage natural sites, the total known number of species and protected areas, and the natural tourism digital demand. And, of course, they also looked at the attractiveness of natural assets. World Heritage natural sites are recognized as having “outstanding universal value.” Natural tourism digital demand measures how many searches are related to the country and specific key words, including “beaches,” “animal watching,” and “diving.” Finally, a survey on how much sway the natural assets of a country had in bringing in tourists helping the WEF finalize the rankings.
1. Brazil
Landing the top spot on the list is Brazil, which has the most — and most diverse — natural resources in the world. From the The Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves, which comprise 25 protected areas (and is home to jaguars, woolly spider monkeys and ocelots) to the Amazon Basin, there is no shortage of splendor in the South American country.
(Photo: Thelma Gatuzzo/Getty Images)
2. Mexico
It’s no real surprise that Mexico landed close to the top of the most beautiful destinations. Between the ruins of Tulum, Sian Ka’an’s networks of tropical rainforests, marshes and mangroves and the stunning Revillagigedo Islands, there’s plenty of beauty. Mexico also has a wealth of wildlife. Check out the Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino and the stunning Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve for a dose.
(Photo: Richard Ellis/Getty Images)
3. Costa Rica
Costa Rica comes in third on the overall list, but the tiny country ranks second in natural tourism digital demand and attractiveness of natural assets. Cocos Island National Park has bragging rights for being the only island in the eastern Pacific with a rainforest, and Tortuguero National Park is known for its sea turtles.
(Photo: Giordano Cipriani/Getty Images)
Click here to continue reading this article.
Source: http://www.travelandleisure.com/
