Dhordo, an Indian village located in the white desert ‘Rann of Kutch’ in the state of Gujarat, is one of the winners of ‘Best Tourism Village 2023’, seen Le Figaro . A list created by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the UN agency responsible for promoting and developing responsible and sustainable tourism. The rankings for this third edition were announced on October 19.

As explained by UNWTO on its websitethis distinction gives credit to pioneer villages in terms of “maintenance of rural areas and preservation of natural landscapes”, from “cultural diversity”, and from “local values ​​and culinary traditions”. Among 260 applications, 54 villages were shortlisted, including Dhordo. Twenty others joined “Upgrade Program”. All of them are now part of UNWTO’s network of best tourist villages.

A village that thrives despite extreme conditions

Thanks to tourism, Dhordo has taken on a new dimension. Based on UNWTOthis goal has become “Gujarat’s face of development”, the westernmost state in India. UNWTO estimates Dhordo “It is worthy of praise for its achievements, especially as the country faces extreme environmental and geographical conditions, which make development in the region extremely difficult”. This institution gave a special warning “2001 Bhuj earthquake”, Who has “destroying the village”.

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The main tourist attraction of this remote village is Rann Utsav, a four-month long musical and visual festival where tents are pitched in this salt desert, one of the largest in the world, with all the necessary facilities for tourists. “In these four months the village came alive,” wrote the UNWTO, highlighting its natural and cultural resources. “This single tourism event in the village had a huge impact on the rural community, with incomes increasing exponentially,” explain the organization. Tourists can also find traditional houses, Bhunga, circular earthen huts adapted to withstand the climate, cyclones and sandstorms, but also in case of earthquakes.