The side event provided an opportunity to highlight opportunities for rural tourism, including changes in consumer behaviour and the growing interest in new destinations. The meeting also explored the main challenges facing the sector, especially in relation to digital and non-digital infrastructure, empowerment of local communities and skills development. The findings presented are the result of the analysis of more than 200 nominations from villages around the world in the framework of the Best Tourism Villages initiative, as well as the priorities and policies of UNWTO Member States.
Representatives from Indonesia, Spain, Italy and Japan joined UNWTO, the United Nations Environment Programme, the International Labour Organization and the South Asia Women's Network (SWAN) to discuss how tourism policies can make tourism contribute to rural development. Participants stressed that the sustainability of tourism in rural areas depends on the adoption and implementation of a comprehensive planning strategy based on a participatory, multi-stakeholder and multi-stakeholder approach. Furthermore, it was pointed out that rural tourism requires the support of regional and local governments, the private sector, sector associations, civil society, communities and tourists.
In 2021, recognising the immense potential of rural tourism in the country, the Indian Ministry of Tourism formulated a national strategy and roadmap for rural tourism development. Reflecting this, the event also included case studies of rural tourism in India, with examples of astronomy tourism, homestays and women's empowerment, as well as the Indian village selected by UNWTO to join the Best Tourism Villages Upgrade programme: Khonoma in Nagaland.
