Nglanggeran Tourism Village Wins 2021 UNWTO “Best Tourism Village”
Nglanggeran Tourism Village in Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY) Province (Photo by: PR of Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy)
Nglanggeran Tourism Village in Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY) Province Thursday (2/12) won the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Awards for “Best Tourism Village 2021”.
The award was given to Nglanggeran Tourism Village during the award ceremony of UNWTO Best Tourism Villages, which was held in a series of “Thematic Session” programs at the 24th General Assembly in Madrid, Spain.
Located in Gunung Kidul regency, the village has competed with 44 other tourism villages from 32 countries in the world.
Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy/Head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno also extended his appreciation for the award received by Nglanggeran Tourism Village.
According to the Minister, Nglanggeran Tourism Village is one of the world-class destinations.
“The residents are united with the regional government, managers, and communities who encourage tourism as one of village development drivers. This aligns with sustainable development goals (SDGs) in order to make optimum contribution of tourism villages, create employment opportunities, and reduce inequality in rural areas,” Sandiaga said, as quoted by the official website of Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Monday (6/12).
The Minister went on to say that the award received by Nglanggeran Tourism Village is expected to serve as a momentum for the revival of Indonesia’s economy, especially in the tourism and creative economy sectors.
Moreover, previously the village has been designated by the Ministry as an inspiring independent tourism village.
“The achievement brings a breath of fresh air in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the pandemic and the economic challenges and job creation in the last two years,” he said.
In addition, the title adds to the long list of awards that have been received by the village. Back then in 2017, the village was named the Best ASEAN Tourism Village.
In the meantime, Deputy of the Ministry’s Destination Development and Infrastructure Vinsensius Jemadu revealed that there are nine assessment criteria in determining these 44 tourism villages as UNWTO Best Tourism Villages.
The criteria include natural and cultural resources; promotion and conservation of cultural resources; economic sustainability; social sustainability; environmental sustainability; tourism potential and development and value chain integration; tourism governance and priorities; infrastructure and connectivity; as well as health, safety and security.
Besides various awards at the local, national, and international levels, the assessment process and the acquisition of Sustainable Tourism Village Certification from the Ministry in the previous year made Nglanggeran Tourism Village meet the UNWTO evaluation criteria.
“Sustainable management carried out through the active role and innovation of managers, socio-economic sustainability is shown through the value chain of economic benefits for the communities, cultural and environmental sustainability through efforts to manage and conserve natural and cultural assets,” Vinsensius said.
Meanwhile, Secretary General of the UNWTO Zurab Pololikashvili said that the award is a form of recognition for villages committed to making tourism a driving force for community development and welfare.
“Tourism can become a driving force for social cohesion and inclusivity by promoting a more equitable distribution of benefits across the regions while empowering local communities,” he said.
For the record, there are 20 other tourism villages that will participate in the program under the UNWTO Best Tourism Villages Upgrade Program category. All 64 Tourism Villages are also part of the UNWTO Best Tourism Villages Network.
Visit the official website of Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy through this link. (PR of Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy/UN) (RIF/MUR)
