Saudi Gazette report
MADRID — The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has recognized Rijal Almaa, in Saudi Arabia’s Asir region, as one of the best tourism villages in the world, at a ceremony during the organization’s General Assembly in Madrid, Spain.
The UNWTO’s Best Villages Program which was announced at the Tourism Recovery Summit, held in Riyadh in May this year, aims to celebrate and recognize outstanding examples of rural tourism that combine cultural and natural assets, preserve and promote community-based values and sustain traditional lifestyles and production techniques.
The Best Villages Program builds on the AlUla Framework for Inclusive Community Development through tourism which was launched during Saudi Arabia’s presidency of the G20, last year. The program celebrates a commitment to sustainability and the use of tourism as a force for positive change within communities.
Rijal Almaa was selected from among 175 nominations from 75…