#Rural life in middle east driver#
#Rural life in middle east upgrade#

Takla church, where events such as the annual Bkassine festival take place. The village’s central meeting place is St. Its glorious 200-hectare pine forest, the largest in the Middle East, has made it a privileged tourist centre, thanks to its preserved natural environment and excellent climate. Lebanon’s pine forest villageīkassine, one of Lebanon’s most picturesque villages, is a charming community located in the country’s south, 70km from Beirut, at an average altitude of 800 metres. Traditional farming practices and livestock breeding are also preserved through generations in the Al Jadidah farms. Additionally, the village’s ecosystem creates a micro-climate inside the farms, allowing for various crops’ growth and enhancing food security. The village has an arts district that serves as a school for women to learn traditional handicraft skills like pottery and jewellery-making and create products to be sold in tourist shops.Īl Ula Old Town is dedicated to preserving its cultural heritage, including local dance, music, poetry, and storytelling traditions, and showcasing them during cultural festivities. In Saudi Arabia, another village worth mentioning is the Al Ula Old Town, which boasts over 900 traditional buildings made from mud brick, with at least 100 restored using conventional building methods. Rijal Alma’a is now integrating with its surroundings to create cultural tourism opportunities that support rural development.

#Rural life in middle east driver#

With public and private sector participation, a rehabilitation project was launched to make tourism a key driver of sustainable rural development. According to the UNWTO, the village is known for its distinctive building design and architecture, which resemble gingerbread houses, earning it the moniker of “gingerbread village”. In addition to its strategic location, Rijal Alma’a needed other unique attributes to attract tourists. Rijal Alma’a was a critical connecting point for people travelling from Yemen, the east, and especially those passing through the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, making it an important commercial centre. Located in the Asir region in the southwest, near Abha, the village has a history that dates back almost 1,000 years. One such example is the Rijal Alma’a Heritage Village in Saudi Arabia. Here are some examples from the region: The gingerbread village The outcome and impact of such efforts justify the resources invested in them.

#Rural life in middle east upgrade#

The UNWTO’s upgrade programme takes this to another level, and the initiative’s third edition is now open for applications.

These projects celebrate diversity and create opportunities around it, making them true game-changers.Įach village has its unique identity and attributes through workshops, virtual meetings, and other initiatives, they are learning to improve. By highlighting villages with preserved cultures and traditions, such initiatives have the potential to deliver jobs, support businesses, and celebrate and protect local traditions. Recognising over 70 villages from 40 countries, this programme is slowly but surely rewriting the script. Things are changing, thanks to the UNWTO’s Best Tourism Villages programme. However, while cities benefit significantly from tourist footfalls, the region’s rural tourism potential seems to have largely gone unnoticed. Last year, the Middle East recorded a remarkable relative increase in international tourist numbers, reaching 83 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. Home to some of the world’s oldest civilisations, the region boasts a rich cultural heritage reflected in its art, architecture, food, music, and traditions, offering a unique travel experience. The Middle East is no exception to the trend. Cities worldwide benefit from a large influx of tourists attracted by smooth communication networks and modern infrastructure, driven by disposable income and a desire to explore different cultures and meet new people at various attractions. Besides demonstrating a deep respect for rural life, the opening line of the William Cowper poem - God Made the Country - tells an inadvertent tourism story.