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United Nations Tourism Villages

Posted by (Chicago, IL, USA) on

I received a good article in a travel magazine newsletter I subscribe to explaining about the United Nations Tourism Villages as a resource to plan off the beaten path travel.

They have a great website with an interactive map to find them around the world.

https://tourism-villages.unwto.org/en/villages/

Here is how the UN describes it:

"With the vision of making tourism a positive force for transformation, rural development and community wellbeing, the Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism initiative seeks to advance the role of tourism in valuing and safeguarding rural villages along with their associated landscapes, knowledge systems, biological and cultural diversity, local values and activities.

The UN Tourism – World Tourism Organization, a United Nations specialized agency, is the leading international organization with the decisive and central role in promoting the development of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. It serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues and a practical source of tourism knowhow. Its membership includes 160 countries, 6 territories, 2 permanent observers and over 500 Affiliate Members."

Posted by
4271 posts

What a great website, thank you for sharing, it’s a fun and interesting read. I’ve bookmarked this post for next year. We will definitely be adding the town listed under Croatia, Slunj, for our visit in 2025.

Posted by
33869 posts

interesting. very interesting.

2 immediate comments, why are there exactly 13 on the entire continent of Africa, and zero inland, and why none north of the Alps?

Posted by
684 posts

2 immediate comments, why are there exactly 13 on the entire continent
of Africa, and zero inland, and why none north of the Alps?

This project began in 2021 and was rebranded at the beginning of 2024. Villages have to apply and then be accepted by the UN. IMO the answer to why are there none "here" is that they have not applied or possibly failed to meet the UN criteria.

Of interest to me is that only two of the G7 nations (Italy and Japan) have applied for or are qualified for this designation, given that the stated goal is "development of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism."

Laurie Ann, thanks for posting this.

Posted by
7956 posts

It’s surprising how much of the map of villages shows locations in Switzerland. Two spots in Ukraine and one in Russia, too - interesting.

On the trip from which we just returned last night, we visited one of the two Vietnam villages on the interactive map (the Country filter lists the country two times, as both Viet Nam and Vietnam). It was interesting and enjoyable to briefly be in Tra Que Vegetable Village, on an island in the river in the area of Hoi An. Even greater Hoi An, with older and newer parts, is much more than tacky t-shirt shops. It was mostly very delightful, and not inundated with over-tourism, at least where we were, and when.

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