Tourism Ministry honoured for Umm Qais’ selection among ‘Best Tourism Villages 2022’

AMMAN — Secretary-General of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Imad Hijazin on Sunday received an award on behalf of the northern village of Umm Qais, which was selected among the “Best Tourism Villages of 2022”.

The award was given during a ceremony organised by the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) in Saudi Arabia, in the presence of the tourism sector’s leaders and ministers from nominated countries, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

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

He noted that this achievement falls within the ministry's vision in compliance with its tourism development plan through the Jordan National Tourism Strategy 2021-2025.

In December, the UNWTO announced the "Best Tourism Villages 2022" and named Umm Qais as one of the best villages across the world.

The villages were evaluated by an independent advisory board based on a set of criteria covering nine areas of cultural and natural resources, including the promotion and conservation of cultural resources; economic sustainability; social sustainability; environmental sustainability; tourism development and value chain integration; governance and the prioritisation of tourism; infrastructure and connectivity; and health, safety and security.

The Best Tourism Villages initiative is the flagship project of the UNWTO Tourism for Rural Development Programme. It aims to ensure that 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 digitalisation.