Over 260 villages from over 60 countries of the world have submitted their applications for the 2024 edition of Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism 2024. According to the UN Tourism body, this marks the highest volume of applications ever received in the past four editions of Best Tourism Villages that closed on 8 May.
UN Tourism’s Member States were invited to submit up to eight candidate villages through their National Tourism Administrations (NTAs).
Referring to the success of past editions, this year’s initiative will again inspire communities worldwide to harness the power of tourism as a driver of rural development and wellbeing, believed UN Tourism.
As in previous editions, the villages will be assessed by an external independent Advisory Board in nice areas of evaluation:
Cultural and Natural Resources
Promotion and Conservation of Cultural Resources
Economic Sustainability
Social Sustainability
Environmental Sustainability
Tourism Development and Value Chain Integration
Governance and Prioritization of Tourism
Infrastructure and Connectivity
Health, Safety, and Security
The villages recognized 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.
Since launching the call for applications in January, the Tourism for Rural Development Programme by UN Tourism has hosted a series of online sessions in Arabic, English, French and Spanish with the Member States, offering insights into the application process.
The BTV Network, includes 129 villages recognized as Best Tourism Villages and 57 actively participating in the Upgrade Programme representing 55 countries, currently boasting a global consortium with 186 members, will continue to grow.
This collaborative network is a unique global grouping of local communities and serves as a platform for sharing experiences, growing knowledge, and fostering partnerships to drive rural development through tourism.
