Two Swiss Villages Were Selected Among World’s Best Tourist Villages

The World Tourism Organization UNWTO has named the Andermatt and Murten Swiss villages among the "Best Tourist Villages" in the world.

These two villages were featured in the UNWTO's launch of the Search for the Best Villages in the World. SchengenVisaInfo.com reported that their strong focus on sustainable development and proximity to agriculture, along with the local added value, was remarkable.

"In the summer 2022, the three villages Ernen, Andermatt and Murten were selected as part of a nationwide tender by a jury composed of representatives from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO and the Swiss Tourism Association STV. They were submitted to the UNWTO," reads the statement from the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, announcing their selection.

This also highlights that Andermatt, Murten, and their persuasive dossiers were able to convince UNWTO's advisory committee about their commitment to sustainable developments

The official ceremony for the award will take place at the end February 2019. Along with the towns Gruyeres and Saas-Fee, Switzerland now have the top five tourist hotspots. Spain has many of its villages included under the "Best Tourist Villages" category.

Additionally, the winning villages have more visibility which allows them to position themselves appropriately.

Zurab Pololikashvili (Secretary General of UNWTO) stated that tourism has the potential to transform rural communities around the world by providing jobs, supporting local businesses and maintaining traditions. He said that UNWTO's Best Tourism Villages demonstrate the sector's ability to not only drive economic diversification, but also create opportunities for all people outside of big cities.

A total of 136 villages were submitted to UNWTO member states for consideration in the 2022 edition. 32 of these were recognized as the Best Tourist Villages. Another 20 villages will be joining the Improvement Program.

UNWTO says that the 52 villages will be part of UNWTO’s Global Network of Best Tourism Villages. It was established last year. The network has brought together 115 villages across five continents. It also offers a variety of benefits including online and on-site training, sharing of best practices, brand recognition, and awareness.

The UNWTO Tourism for Rural Development Programme's flagship project is the Best Tourist Villages Initiative. Its goal is to ensure that tourism contributes to reducing regional disparities in income, development, and combating depopulation.

Source: schengenvisainfo.com