{"id":2544,"date":"2021-05-29T00:02:30","date_gmt":"2021-05-29T00:02:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelcommunication.net\/?p=27779"},"modified":"2021-05-29T00:02:30","modified_gmt":"2021-05-29T00:02:30","slug":"unwto-opens-call-for-best-tourism-villages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelindex.org\/media\/global-travel-news\/unwto-opens-call-for-best-tourism-villages\/","title":{"rendered":"UNWTO Opens Call for Best Tourism Villages"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"UNWTO<\/a> <\/div>\n

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 28, 2021 \/ TRAVELINDEX \/ The search is on for the best examples of rural villages harnessing the power of tourism to provide opportunity and safeguard their communities, local traditions and heritage. The initiative of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) will identify villages taking innovative and transformative approaches to tourism in rural areas in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).<\/p>\n

With the vision of making tourism a positive force for transformation, rural development and community wellbeing, \u2018Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO\u2019 aims to maximise the contribution of the sector to reducing regional inequalities and fighting against rural depopulation. It also seeks to advance the role of tourism in valuing and safeguarding rural villages along with their associated landscapes, knowledge systems, biological and cultural diversity, local values and activities, including gastronomy.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Read all the latest UNWTO News and Updates here.<\/a><\/p>\n

The launch of the \u2018Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO\u2019 initiative takes place on the occasion of the opening of UNWTO\u2019s first Regional Office in the Middle East (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), underscoring the focus of the Office on, among other issues, the role of tourism in rural development.<\/p>\n

Celebrating tourism as a driver of rural development and wellbeing<\/h2>\n

\u201cTourism can be a driver of positive change for rural communities all around the world,\u201d said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. \u201cWe want to recognize the uniqueness of each village and showcase the best initiatives to make tourism a means for a better future in rural areas. As we restart tourism, we work to ensure that we leave no one \u2013 and no village- behind.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the opening of the UNWTO Regional office in Riyadh, His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia\u2019s Minister for Tourism, said: \u201cWe are proud to be a partner of UNWTO as they launch this important initiative. For our rural communities, tourism is an opportunity to share their vibrant culture, amazing food and famous Saudi hospitality, while benefitting from the socio-economic opportunities provided by the sector.\u201d<\/p>\n

The initiative includes three pillars:<\/p>\n

1. The \u2018Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO\u2019 Label<\/strong>: The Label will recognize a village which is an outstanding example of a rural tourism destination with recognized cultural and natural assets, that preserves and promotes rural and community-based values, products and lifestyle and has a clear commitment to innovation and sustainability in all its aspects \u2013 economic, social and environmental.<\/p>\n

2. The \u2018Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO\u2019 Upgrade Programme<\/strong>: The Upgrade programme will benefit a number of villages that do not fully meet the Label criteria. These villages will receive support from UNWTO and its Partners in improving elements of the areas identified as gaps in the evaluation process.<\/p>\n

3. The \u2018Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO\u2019 Network<\/strong>: The Network will provide a space for exchanging experiences and good practices, learnings, and opportunities. It will include representatives of the villages awarded the \u2018Best Tourism Village by UNWTO\u2019 Label, the villages participating in the Upgrade Programme, as well as experts, public and private sector partners engaged in the promotion of tourism for rural development.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Read all the latest UNWTO News and Updates here.<\/a><\/p>\n

UNWTO Members States can present up to three villages to be assessed by the Initiative. Applications will close on 31 July 2021. The selected villages will be announced in October 2021, on the occasion of the 24 session of the UNWTO General Assembly (Marrakesh, Morocco, 12-15 October 2021).<\/p>\n

First published at TravelCommunication.net<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 28, 2021 \/ TRAVELINDEX \/ The search is on for the best examples of rural villages harnessing the power of tourism to provide opportunity and safeguard their communities, local traditions and heritage. The initiative of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) will identify villages taking innovative and transformative approaches to tourism in …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4255,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[510,52,43,37,484,485,511,111,45,46,44,79,48,59,47],"class_list":["post-2544","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-global-travel-news","tag-best-villages","tag-featured","tag-global-travel-news","tag-news","tag-riyadh","tag-saudi-arabia","tag-top25villages","tag-travel-and-tourism-foundation","tag-travel-communication","tag-travel-index","tag-travel-news-hub","tag-unwto-news","tag-unwtp-news","tag-updates","tag-wttc-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelindex.org\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2544","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelindex.org\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelindex.org\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelindex.org\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelindex.org\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2544"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelindex.org\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2544\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelindex.org\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4255"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelindex.org\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelindex.org\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelindex.org\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}