New Opportunity: UN Tourism's Best Tourism Villages 2024 Competition

Author

Fikia
February 05, 2024

Dear Fikia Community,

We're excited to bring to your attention a unique opportunity to showcase and celebrate the beauty of rural tourism! The United Nations Tourism has officially opened applications for the 2024 edition of its prestigious "Best Tourism Villages" initiative. This initiative aims to recognize and promote rural destinations where tourism is not just a visit but a catalyst for sustainable growth, cultural preservation, and community prosperity.

What is the "Best Tourism Villages" Initiative? Introduced in 2021, the initiative focuses on transforming tourism into a force for rural development. It seeks to highlight outstanding rural tourism destinations that cherish cultural and natural assets, preserve community values, and demonstrate a commitment to innovation and sustainability. The initiative operates through three integral components:

  1. Recognition of Outstanding Villages: Recognizes villages that excel in nine key areas, covering the three pillars of sustainable development - economic, social, and environmental.

  2. Upgrade Programme: Provides support to villages that may not fully meet the recognition criteria, helping them address identified gaps with assistance from UN Tourism and partners.

  3. Networking Platform: Establishes a space for exchanging experiences and good practices among recognized villages and those in the Upgrade Programme. This network involves experts, public and private sector partners, promoting tourism for rural development.

Why Participate?

  • Global Recognition: Selected villages gain global recognition as exemplary models of sustainable rural tourism.

  • Support and Guidance: Villages in the Upgrade Programme receive assistance to enhance their tourism potential.

  • Networking Opportunities: Conn

    ect with experts, public and private sector partners, and like-minded communities to share experiences and ideas.

How to Apply: UN Tourism Member States are invited to submit up to eight candidate villages through their National Tourism Administrations (NTAs). Applications are open until April 24, 2024.

Evaluation Criteria: An external Advisory Board evaluates applications based on nine crucial areas:

  1. Cultural and Natural Resources

  2. Promotion and Conservation of Cultural Resources

  3. Economic Sustainability

  4. Social Sustainability

  5. Environmental Sustainability

  6. Tourism Development and Value Chain Integration

  7. Governance and Prioritization of Tourism

  8. Infrastructure and Connectivity

  9. Health, Safety, and Security

Important Dates:

  • Applications Open: January 24, 2024

  • Application Deadline: April 24, 2024

  • Announcement of Selected Villages: Third Quarter of 2024

Get Involved! Participate in this extraordinary opportunity to celebrate and promote the charm of rural tourism. Let's make tourism a force for good, driving sustainable development in our communities.

Let's work together to make your villages shine on the global stage!

Warm regards,

Social Media Team @ Fikia

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