ammonnews.net

Ammon News - Secretary-General of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Imad Hijazin on Sunday received an award shield for selecting the northern village of Umm Qais among the ‘Best Tourism Villages 2022’.

This came during a ceremony organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Saudi Arabia, with the presence of the tourism sector’s leaders and ministers of the nominated countries for the award.

"Putting the village of Umm Qais on the list will bolster the Kingdom's status on the global tourism map," Hijazin said, adding it will also contribute to empowering local communities, and increasing job opportunities.

"This achievement comes within the ministry's vision, and in compliance with its tourism development plan through the Jordan National Tourism Strategy 2021-2025," he indicated.

Last December, the UNWTO announced the "Best Tourism Villages 2022", and named the village of Umm Qais among the best villages across the world.

The villages were evaluated by an independent Advisory Board based on a set of criteria covering nine areas, including the cultural and natural resources, promotion and conservation of cultural resources, economic Sustainability, social sustainability, environmental sustainability, tourism development and value chain integration, and governance and prioritization of tourism, in addition to health, safety, and security.

The Best Tourism Villages initiative is the flagship project of the UNWTO Tourism for Rural Development Program. It aims to ensure tourism contributes to reducing regional inequalities in income and development, fighting depopulation, progressing gender equality and women’s and youth empowerment, and advancing innovation and digitalization.