The ceremony will convey collectively Ministers of Tourism alongside representatives of the latest villages acknowledged by UNWTO, together with AlUla Old Town District itself.
UNWTO celebrated tourism as a significant factor of sustainable rural improvement at a particular Best Tourism Villages ceremony held in AlUla, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (12-13 March).
Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO (BTV) is the flagship initiative of the Organization’s wider work to advance tourism as a pillar of rural improvement and alternative. Since 2021, BTV has produced an annual listing of locations which stand out for his or her dedication to sustainability in all its facets – financial, social and environmental – and the preservation and promotion of community-based values. The ceremony will convey collectively Ministers of Tourism alongside representatives of the latest villages acknowledged by UNWTO, together with AlUla Old Town District itself.
“It is a great honour that AlUla is among this year’s award recipients. We look forward to continuing to raise awareness about the transformative role of tourism through our support for meaningful initiatives such as this,” stated H.H. Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan Al- Saud, Minister of Culture of Saudi Arabia, Member of Board of Directors, and the Governor of the Royal Commission for AlUla.
UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili stated: “Tourism is a leading pillar of growth and opportunity for villages, supporting rural businesses, providing jobs for local communities, and celebrating traditions and heritage. Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO recognises those destinations that are showing what tourism can offer, both for tourists as well as for the communities themselves.”
“We are delighted to host the UNWTO Best Tourism Villages 2022 Ceremony in Saudi Arabia this year. We look forward to sharing the rich history and heritage of the Kingdom with event attendees and participants,” stated H.E. Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
List of Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO 2022:
- Zell am See, Austria
- Wagrain, Austria
- Puqueldón, Chile
- Dazhai, China
- Jingzhu, China
- Choachí, Colombia
- Aguarico, Ecuador
- Angochagua, Ecuador
- Choke Mountains Ecovillage, Ethiopia
- Mestia, Georgia
- Kfar Kama, Israel
- Sauris-Zahre, Italy
- Isola del Giglio, Italy
- Umm Qais, Jordan
- Creel, Mexico
- El Fuerte, Mexico
- Ksar Elkhorbat, Morocco
- Moulay Bouzerktoune, Morocco
- Lamas, Peru
- Raqchi, Peru
- Castelo Novo, Portugal
- Pyeongsa-ri, Republic of Korea
- Rasinari, Romania
- AlUla Old Town, Saudi Arabia
- Bohinj, Slovenia
- Rupit, Spain
- Alquézar, Spain
- Guadalupe, Spain
- Murten, Switzerland
- Andermatt, Switzerland
- Birgi, Türkiye
- Thái Hải, Vietnam
Additionally, UNWTO will work with the next villages taking part within the Upgrade Programme:
- Trevelin, Argentina
- Krupa na Vrbasu, Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Fontainhas, Cabo Verde
- Ninhue, Chile
- San Vicente de Chucuri, Colombia
- Barichara, Colombia
- Kalopanagiotis, Cyprus
- Pissouri, Cyprus
- Adaba, Ethiopia
- Khonoma, India
- Neot Semadar, Israel
- Otricoli, Italy
- Il Ngwesi, Kenya
- Grand Baie, Mauritius
- Bella Vista, Paraguay
- Istebna, Poland
- Ferraria de São João, Portugal
- Castara, Trinidad and Tobago
- Anıtlı, Türkiye
- Cumalıkızık, Türkiye
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network the place she is the Editor-in Chief. She can also be liable for the every day operation and the monetary coverage. She holds a Bachelor’s diploma in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has a few years of each educational and industrial expertise throughout the journey trade. She has written/edited quite a few articles in numerous tourism magazines.