Rabat – Two Moroccan villages — Ksar Elkhorbat and Moulay Bouzerktoune — have featured on the United Nations’ World Tourism Organisation’s (UWTO) 32 Best Tourism Villages for this year.  

UWTO shared the list on their official website on December 20. The UN agency awarded the recognition to a total of 32 villages from 18 countries across the five world regions.

According to UWTO, the initiative aims to recognize rural destinations that are “embracing tourism as a driver of development while preserving and promoting community-based values and products.”

UWTO took to twitter to congratulate the recognized villages.

“Congrats to the 32 Best Tourism Villages in 2022! You truly are a great example of the power of tourism to drive growth in rural areas,” it tweeted. “And you do it the right way: working with communities and ensuring innovation, sustainability and inclusiveness.”

The 32 listed villages were evaluated by an independent advisory board based on a set of must-have criteria including, cultural and natural resources and sustainability in all its aspects – economic, social, and environmental.

Other criteria included health, safety, and security. The board also assessed the infrastructure and connectivity of these villages. 

“For rural communities everywhere, tourism can be a true game changer in providing jobs, supporting local businesses and keeping traditions alive,” UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said.

“The Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO showcase the power of the sector to drive economic diversification and create opportunities for all outside of big cities.”  

Located  near the Moroccan town of Tinejdad (about 50 km from Tinghir), Ksar El Khorbat is an “ancient Ksar, a fortified village, built of soil in the middle of the 19th century,” according to the American online travel company Trip Advisor.

Meanwhile, Moulay Bouzerktoune is a small town and rural commune in the Essaouira province in Morocco’sMarrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz region.

In December 2021, UNWTO listed the eco-tourist village of Sidi Kaouki, near Essaouira, among the “Best Tourism Villages of the World 2021.”

Read Also: Morocco’s Sidi Kaouki Ranked Among UNWTO Best Tourism Villages