Nepalese kings organized massive hunts to get on the good side of the British – hunts that may have been terrible for conservation, but worked diplomatic magic. [...] ‘Hunting diplomacy’ lent the Ranas much-needed social capital with the British elite, and an invite from the Ranas of Nepal became a much-coveted affair for the colonists themselves.

Latest innovation from tourism offers trips with a social mission to travelers who want more from a holiday than sea & shopping. This summer, vacationers can pair a visit to the colonial Colombian city of Cartagena with an program aimed at raising awareness about the modern slave trade. [...] "I have been asked whether the tour, given its theme, was 'depressing,' " Karen Weiss, who took a similar trip to Thailand, explained. "I assure you that it was not.