The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi hailed the Dhordo village in Kutch district of Gujarat for being awarded as the Best Tourism Village by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
- Dhordo has made it to the list of 54 best tourism villages 2023, announced by the World Tourism Organization (WTO) on October 19. The villages were named during the UNWTO General Assembly, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
- Of the eight entries from India, Dhordo is the only village that has been awarded with the distinction.
About Dhordo
- Situated in Gujarat, India, Dhordo hosted the first Tourism Working Group Meeting of the G20 held under India’s presidency of the influential grouping.
- Dhordo is a giant salt marsh in the Thar desert, and popular for tourism and the annual Rann Utsav.
- It is set to host the Rann Utsav, which celebrates the marvels of nature at the White Desert and the rich cultural and artistic heritage of Kutch, beginning from November 10, 2023 till February 25, 2024.
- In a bid to promote sustainable tourism development, the UNWTO has been recognising villages since 2021.
- The UNWTO is an agency of the United Nations promoting tourism for sustainable tourism.
- Villages leading in conserving local values, sustainable development, cultural diversity and local cuisine have been among the winners. A total of nine yardsticks have been set for giving the awards.
