Swiss Villages of Andermatt & Murten Selected Among World’s “Best Tourist Villages” by UNWTO
The Swiss villages of Andermatt and Murten have been named among the world’s “Best Tourist Villages” by the World Tourism Organization UNWTO.
In the UNWTO launch of the search for the best villages in the world, these two villages’ strong focus on sustainable development was impressive, as well as their proximity to agricultural activities and the local added value generated by tourism in the respective regions, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
“In the summer of 2022, as part of a nationwide tender, the three villages of Ernen, Andermatt, and Murten were selected by a jury consisting of representatives of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO, the Swiss Tourism Association STV and Switzerland Tourism and submitted to the UNWTO,” the statement of Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs reads, announcing the selection.
The same also points out that Andermatt and Murten, together with their convincing dossiers, were finally able to convince the advisory committee of the UNWTO initiative of their commitment to sustainable development.
Meanwhile, the official award ceremony will occur at the end of February next year. Switzerland now has the top five tourist hotspots along with the towns of Gruyères, Saas-Fee, and Val Poschiavo, which were honoured last year. At the same time, Spain is another country that has several of its villages listed under the “Best Tourist Villages”.
In addition, winning villages also benefit from additional visibility, allowing them to position themselves accordingly.
In this regard, the Secretary General of UNWTO, Zurab Pololikashvili, said that tourism is truly a game changer for rural communities everywhere due to the provision of jobs, support of local businesses, and keeping traditions alive. He also added that UNWTO’s Best Tourism Villages showcase the sector’s power to drive economic diversification but also to create opportunities for everyone outside the big cities.
For the 2022 edition, a total of 136 villages were submitted for consideration by 57 UNWTO Member States, 32 of which were recognised as the Best Tourism Villages. On the other hand, another 20 will also be entering the Improvement Program.
According to UNWTO, the 52 villages will become part of UNWTO’s Global Network of Best Tourism Villages, established last year. Since then, the network has gathered 115 villages from five continents and also offers a range of benefits, including on-site and online training, exchange of good practices, and international brand recognition and awareness.
The Best Tourist Villages Initiative is a flagship project of the UNWTO Tourism for Rural Development Programme. It aims to guarantee that tourism helps to reduce regional disparities in income and development, combating depopulation, advancing gender equality and empowering women and youth.
