‘World’s Best Tourism Village’: ‘Dedication of people of Kutch’, says PM as Dhordo wins UNWTO recognition
The Chief Minister underlined that with the vision of PM Modi, the annual Rann Utsav was organised at Dhordo in Kutch because of which Gujarat and Kutch have found a place in the world tourism map.
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PM Narendra Modi with local artists. (Photo credit: X) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and state’s Tourism Minister Mulu Bera expressed delight on Friday with the Dhordo village in Kutch district being recognised as the “World’s Best Tourism Village” by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). Of the eight entries from India, Dhordo is the only village that has been awarded with the distinction.
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.
Welcoming the development, PM Modi wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter), “Absolutely thrilled to see Dhordo in Kutch being celebrated for its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty. This honour not only showcases the potential of Indian tourism but also the dedication of the people of Kutch in particular.”
“I’m sharing some memories of my visits to Dhordo in 2009 and 2015.,” the Prime Minister further wrote as he also posted photos from Dhordo of his visits.
PM Modi shared photos on X of his visits to Dhordo. In the picture above, he can be seen with Rajnath Singh. (Photo credit: @narendramodi/X)
In his post on X, Amit Shah wrote: “Since his days as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, PM @narendramodi Ji has made tireless efforts to develop the area into a world-class tourism site. It is heartening to see that the structured efforts to provide the vicinity with accessible roads, water, and other facilities and promote its rich cultural heritage have finally borne fruit. This honour is a testament to our immense tourism potential.”
The Chief Minister underlined that with the vision of PM Modi, the annual Rann Utsav was organised at Dhordo in Kutch because of which Gujarat and Kutch have found a place in the world tourism map.
Meanwhile, Tourism Minister Bera added that Dhordo has “not only become a centre of tourism but also a centre of training for administration at the national level”. Bera also said there were 230 entries from across the world for the award, of which eight villages were from India. “Due to the Rann Utsav held at Dhordo, Rs 468 crore was received as revenue from GST during 2022-23. During this period, over 98,000 Indian tourists and 7,400 international tourists took part in Rann Utsav,” he added.
An official release stated that in 2022-23, more than 2.42 lakh tourists have visited Dhordo and with the latest award, more tourists will come which will generate employment opportunities in the region.
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