The Israeli villages of Kfar Kama, Neot Smadar and Zippori were selected on Tuesday by the Israel Ministry of Tourism as candidates for the UN World Tourism Organization's Best Tourism Villages for 2022.
The village of Kfar Kama in the Lower Galilee, the creative and environmentally friendly community of Neot Smadar in the southern Negev, and Zippori – home to the Zippori National Park in the Galilee – were selected out of 17 potential candidates.
“I am happy about the choice of these three rural villages. Rural tourism in Israel is a significant part of domestic and incoming tourism,” said Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov. “This is an international initiative that will position the State of Israel and the chosen location alongside renowned tourism locations around the world.”
UN "Best Tourism Villages" Competition
The UN competition, now in its second year, aims to promote and enhance the role of tourism in safeguarding – as well as developing – rural villages of up to 15,000 residents. The winner will be announced by a UNWTO advisory board in October, while Israel’s Tourism Ministry has pledged that the villages that came in fourth to eighth place will receive assistance in preparing the required materials for the competition in order to improve their chances of winning next year.
“As a result of this [competition], the tourism village that will be selected for inclusion in the list will become an attraction for many tourists – tourists who will inject money into the Israeli economy, create jobs mainly in the periphery and provide a livelihood for Israeli citizens,” Razvozov said.