What Happens When Rural Villages Take Center Stage in Global Travel? The UN’s ‘Best Tourism Villages’ Initiative Explained – Travel And Tour World

Report on the UN ‘Best Tourism Villages’ Initiative and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Introduction

A significant transformation is underway within the global tourism sector, marked by a strategic shift towards rural destinations. The United Nations Tourism Organization’s ‘Best Tourism Villages’ initiative, launched in 2021, is at the forefront of this movement. The program identifies and supports rural villages that leverage tourism as a driver for sustainable development, aligning with the principles of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This report analyzes the initiative’s structure, impacts, and direct contributions to key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

2.0 Initiative Overview and Evaluation Criteria

The ‘Best Tourism Villages’ initiative is a core component of the UN’s Tourism for Rural Development Programme. Its primary objective is to recognize villages that are exemplary in their approach to harnessing tourism for community empowerment and environmental preservation. By 2025, the network had expanded to include 319 villages, with 52 newly recognized and 20 entering an Upgrade Programme to meet the initiative’s standards.

2.1 Core Areas of Evaluation

Villages are assessed against a comprehensive set of criteria that reflect a holistic approach to sustainable development. These criteria ensure that recognized villages serve as models for responsible tourism.

• Cultural and Natural Resources: Promotion and conservation of local heritage and biodiversity.
• Economic Sustainability: Fostering local entrepreneurship, diversifying the economy, and ensuring equitable distribution of tourism revenue.
• Social Sustainability: Promoting community well-being, decent work, and empowerment of local populations.
• Environmental Sustainability: Commitment to conservation, resource efficiency, and climate action.
• Tourism Development and Integration: Strategic integration of tourism into local policies and the value chain.
• Governance and Prioritization of Tourism: Effective management structures that prioritize sustainable tourism.
• Infrastructure and Connectivity: Adequacy of infrastructure to support tourism without compromising community needs.
• Health, Safety, and Security: Ensuring a safe and secure environment for both residents and visitors.

3.0 Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The ‘Best Tourism Villages’ initiative serves as a practical implementation framework for several SDGs, translating global goals into local action.

3.1 SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

The program directly promotes sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth by creating new employment opportunities in rural areas. It supports the diversification of local economies, reducing dependence on traditional sectors like agriculture and providing stable income sources that contribute to decent work for all.

3.2 SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

By championing the safeguarding of cultural and natural heritage, the initiative is central to making communities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. It also addresses the challenge of overtourism by promoting a more balanced distribution of tourist flows away from overcrowded urban centers, thereby enhancing the sustainability of the entire tourism ecosystem.

3.3 SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Sustainability is the foundational principle of the program. Recognized villages must demonstrate a commitment to sustainable consumption and production patterns, including the preservation of natural resources and the promotion of community-based tourism models where local populations manage and benefit from tourism activities.

3.4 Additional SDG Contributions

1. SDG 1 (No Poverty): By generating local income and employment, the initiative provides a direct pathway out of poverty for rural communities.
2. SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): The focus on rural development helps bridge the economic gap between urban and rural areas, empowering historically marginalized communities.
3. SDG 15 (Life on Land): The strong emphasis on conserving natural beauty and biodiversity contributes to the protection and restoration of terrestrial ecosystems.

4.0 Economic and Social Impacts

Recognition as a ‘Best Tourism Village’ yields significant socio-economic benefits, fostering long-term resilience and prosperity.

4.1 Economic Diversification and Growth

The international visibility granted by the UN designation stimulates tourism demand, leading to increased local spending and the growth of small businesses. This creates a resilient economic base that is less vulnerable to fluctuations in a single industry.

4.2 Community Empowerment and Cultural Preservation

The initiative fosters a community-based tourism model, empowering local residents to take an active role in managing their cultural and natural assets. This approach ensures that tourism development is aligned with community values and contributes to the preservation of unique cultural identities for future generations.

5.0 Strategic Implications and Future Outlook

The ‘Best Tourism Villages’ initiative signals a permanent shift in global travel preferences toward more authentic, meaningful, and responsible tourism. This trend has significant implications for the industry.

• Meeting Consumer Demand: The program provides a curated portfolio of destinations for a growing market of travelers conscious of their environmental and social impact.
• A Model for Sustainable Development: The recognized villages serve as a benchmark for sustainable tourism practices, offering a replicable model for other destinations worldwide.
• Reshaping Global Tourism: The initiative is instrumental in building a more equitable and sustainable future for tourism, where the benefits are shared among travelers, host communities, and the environment.

In conclusion, the UN ‘Best Tourism Villages’ initiative is effectively transforming rural communities into hubs of sustainable development. By aligning tourism with the SDGs, it is paving the way for a more responsible and inclusive global travel industry.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on the UN’s ‘Best Tourism Villages’ initiative connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by focusing on the intersection of tourism, rural development, and sustainability. The primary SDGs addressed are:

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article emphasizes how the initiative drives economic growth in rural areas. It highlights the creation of new job opportunities, the promotion of small businesses, and the diversification of local economies away from traditional sectors like agriculture. This directly supports the goal of promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  While focused on villages, this SDG is relevant through its aim to make human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The article’s core theme is the preservation of cultural and natural heritage in rural communities. The initiative’s criteria, such as “Cultural and natural heritage” and “Community involvement and heritage conservation,” directly align with making these communities sustainable while protecting their unique identities.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  The initiative promotes sustainable tourism, which is a key component of this SDG. The article describes a shift towards “slower, more meaningful travel” and encourages travelers to engage in responsible tourism practices. It focuses on developing a tourism model that ensures the long-term sustainability of natural resources and minimizes negative environmental impacts, aligning with the goal of sustainable consumption and production patterns.

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  The article repeatedly mentions the importance of preserving the natural beauty and unspoiled state of rural environments. A core principle of the ‘Best Tourism Villages’ programme is a “strong commitment to maintaining their natural resources.” This directly supports the goal of protecting and restoring terrestrial ecosystems and halting biodiversity loss.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s discussion of the initiative’s goals and impacts, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

• Target 8.9: Promote sustainable tourism

  This target aims to “devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.” The entire ‘Best Tourism Villages’ initiative described in the article is a direct implementation of this target. The article states that the program supports local economies, creates job opportunities, and showcases cultural richness, which are the core components of this target.

• Target 11.4: Protect the world’s cultural and natural heritage

  This target calls to “strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.” The article explicitly states that recognized villages are evaluated on their management of “Cultural and natural heritage” and their commitment to “heritage conservation.” The initiative’s goal is to help villages thrive while “maintaining their distinctive identities” and preserving “cultural practices.”

• Target 12.b: Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable tourism impacts

  This target focuses on developing tools to “monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism.” The ‘Best Tourism Villages’ programme itself acts as such a tool. The article mentions that villages are “evaluated based on various factors” including “economic impact, environmental sustainability,” and “social sustainability.” This evaluation and recognition process serves as a mechanism to monitor and promote positive sustainable tourism impacts.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article provides several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

• Indicators for Target 8.9 (Promote sustainable tourism)

  • Number of jobs created in the tourism sector: The article implies this by mentioning that the initiative “generat[es] new job opportunities.”
  • Growth of local businesses: The text states that the program promotes the “growth of small businesses.” Tracking the number and revenue of these businesses would be a direct indicator.
  • Economic diversification: The article notes that tourism helps villages “reduce their reliance on traditional sectors like agriculture and craftsmanship.” An indicator would be the share of the local economy generated by tourism versus other sectors.

• Indicators for Target 11.4 (Protect cultural and natural heritage)

  • Existence of heritage conservation policies: The article implies this by stating that villages are recognized for their “community involvement and heritage conservation” efforts. The recognition itself serves as a proxy indicator that such policies are in place.
  • Community engagement in cultural preservation: The emphasis on “community-based tourism” where locals take an “active role” implies that the level of local participation in preserving cultural practices is a key measure of success.

• Indicators for Target 12.b (Monitor sustainable tourism impacts)

  • Number of villages recognized: The article provides specific numbers: “fifty-two rural villages have been recognized,” an additional “twenty villages were selected for the Upgrade Programme,” and the total number of recognized villages reached “three hundred and nineteen worldwide.” This number serves as a direct indicator of the program’s reach and the adoption of sustainable tourism practices.
  • Increased investment in sustainable infrastructure: The article mentions that recognition leads to “greater investment in local infrastructure,” which can be measured in monetary terms or by the number of completed projects.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: travelandtourworld.com