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The Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Tourism (MAT) is launching the national selection of tourist villages that aspire to the "Best Tourism Villages" title, the initiative being a prelude to the third edition of the international competition of the World Tourism Organization (WTO), through which, annually, outstanding examples of rural destinations are identified.
"It is a real honour to rediscover the Romanian village as a source for sustainable development, to promote both traditions and to exploit natural opportunities for tourism purposes," Minister of Entrepreneurship and Tourism Constantin-Daniel Cadariu is quoted as saying in a press release sent to AGERPRES on Friday.
Following the submission of applications and their evaluation, Romania will submit to the WTO up to eight proposals for tourist villages, which will compete with other rural destinations around the world. To be eligible, the village must have a low population density and no more than 15,000 inhabitants according to the last census, be located in a landscape with a significant presence of traditional activities and reflect the values and lifestyle of the community.
In the evaluation process, the following selection criteria will be scored: cultural and natural resources, promotion and conservation of cultural resources, economic, social and environmental sustainability, tourism development and value chain integration, governance and tourism prioritisation, infrastructure and connectivity, health, safety and security, presentation materials (video, images).
The rural destinations from Romania, which will participate in the global competition, will have the chance to be designated "Best Tourism Villages," like the village of Rasinari, which obtained this distinction last year, or to be included in the Upgrade Programme, through which they will benefit from support from the WTO and partners to improve the areas of activity identified as less developed following the evaluation.
The villages recognised as "Best Tourism Villages," as well as those selected to participate in the Upgrade Programme, will become members of a network that facilitates the exchange of information, experiences and best practices.
