USA TODAY: 10 great places to leave the beauty unspoiled (but won't we spoil them if we go there?)

Winter cruising along Norway's west coast. Photo by Sue Frause.

I have a hard time with headlines like the one in USA TODAY:

10 great places to leave the beauty unspoiled.

Here's the opening paragraph of the article:

Resolved: Pick a place to visit this year that does not involve trashing the planet. Call it "geotourism," which is defined by the National Geographic Society as "tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place. It's a destination where you can have an authentic travel experience without harming the place." Jonathan Tourtellot, director of the society's Center for Sustainable Destinations, shares his list of favorites with Tim Smight for USA TODAY.

Here are Smight's favorites:

• Grenada
• Guanajuato, Mexico
• Ashland, Oregon
• Isle of Skye, Scotland
• Mackinac Island, Michigan
• Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia
• Wachau Valley, Austria
• Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico
• Northeast Kingdom, Vermont
• Coastal Fjords, Norway

When I started travel writing 20+ years ago, I jokingly told friends and family that I'd never write about where I live (Whidbey Island).  We wanted to keep it to ourselves and not have anybody find out about it. Well, I can't say that I've stuck to my promise. In fact, I write about it regularly. And hopefully, the people who are attracted to visiting my island will be more "visitors" than "tourists."

But back to the list of places where we should "leave the beauty unspoiled" --- aren't we in fact spoiling it by going there?  I have mixed feelings about it .  I'm a travel writer and I have lots of friends in the tourism industry, yet I don't want to see these wonderful places "loved to death." So do I go and not write about it and keep it a secret? Go and write about it and share the important message to tread lightly on our planet? Not go and switch to virtual travel, formerly called armchair travel, and never leave the comforts of my home?

I know I won't do the latter. Staying home just ain't my style and and travel is too big a part of my life. It's all about balance. Travel on!