The final list of villages will be announced in the fourth quarter of the year
Over 260 villages from more than 60 countries representing the five regions of the world have applied as candidates for the 2024 edition of Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism 2024.
According to a press statement by UN Tourism, this marks the highest volume of applications ever received in the past four editions of the annual competition that selects best villages for tourism from around the world.
The statement says that the fourth edition of Best Tourism Villages builds on the success of past editions, to again inspire communities worldwide to harness the power of tourism as a driver of rural development and wellbeing.
UN Tourism’s Member States were invited to submit up to eight candidate villages through their National Tourism Administrations (NTAs).
The statement adds that as in previous editions, the villages will be assessed by an external independent Advisory Board in several areas of evaluation such as :
Cultural and Natural Resources
Promotion and Conservation of Cultural Resources
Economic Sustainability
Social Sustainability
Environmental Sustainability
Tourism Development and Value Chain Integration
Governance and Prioritisation of Tourism
Infrastructure and Connectivity
Health, Safety and Security
UN Tourism says that the final list of villages recognised as the Best Tourism Villages as well as those selected to participate in the Upgrade Programme will be announced in the fourth quarter of the year.
The statement adds that since launching the call for applications in January, the Tourism for Rural Development Programme by UN Tourism has hosted a series of online sessions with the Member States, offering insights into the application process.
These sessions were in Arabic, English, French and Spanish, which drew in 117 participants, highlighting the widespread interest and commitment of UN Tourism Member States to advancing tourism for rural development.
