UN, EU Agencies Team Up to Drive Rural Development Through Tourism

Photo source: UN Tourism

UN Tourism (former World Tourism Organization) and the European Committee of the Regions announced this week that they have partnered on a study on the impact and potential of tourism in fostering socio-economic development in rural areas.

“Tourism has the potential to transform societies, stimulate local economic development, and empower local communities,” said UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.

Photo source: European Committee of the Regions

The aim of the report is among others to offer a roadmap for policymakers, local governments, and stakeholders to tap into the potential of rural tourism while addressing challenges including depopulation, inequality, and limited access to basic services.

“Tourism, as part of mobility, has helped shape our European identity and is a powerful driver for growth and jobs, breathing new life into communities across Europe,” said European Committee of the Regions President Alves Vasco Cordeiro.

The study focuses on findings regarding the resilience of rural tourism post-Covid, economic diversification and cultural preservation, challenges and opportunities for sustainable development.

Recommendations in the study include the need to integrate rural value chains into tourism, improve digital connectivity, integrate sustainability into tourism development policies and plans, promote responsible travel initiatives that meet evolving consumer expectations and contribute to broader sustainability goals, and position rural tourism as a force for positive environmental and social impact.

The European Committee of the Regions is an EU advisory body composed of locally and regionally elected representatives coming from all 27 Member States.