UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) selected 44 villages in 32 countries as ‘Best Tourism Villages 2021’ at the 24th general assembly in Madrid. In Japan, Miyama in Kyoto and Niseko in Hokkaido were selected.
Best Tourism Village is selection of villages that seek new tourism programs based on SDGs to preserve local communities and cultures. The UNWTO’s judgement is based on nine criteria, such as cultural and nature resources, preservation activities for cultural resources, economic and social sustainability, tourism potentiality and so forth.
A total of 174 villages from UNWTO 75 member countries were proposed to Best Tourism Villages in 2021. In addition to the selected villages, 20 villages including Biei in Hokkaido was selected as ‘Upgrade Program,’ a support program to be selected as Best Tourism Village in the future.
Best Tourism Village certificate is effective for three years, and during the period, the selected villages can use a certificate logo and do PR activities.
