Fornalutx, Mallorca

Fornalutx, one of Spain's "prettiest" villages, but not on the UN list. | Archive

Andrew EdePalma21/12/2022 09:42
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The UN World Tourism Organization has named its 32 "best villages for tourism" 2022. Selected from 136 candidate countries, the 32 are from 18 of these countries, which were invited to propose a maximum of three villages. Spain put forward three, none of them in Mallorca or the Balearics, and all three are included in the list of 32 - Alquézar in the Huesca province of Aragon, Guadalupe in Cáceres province, Extremadura, and Rupit in the Barcelona province.

The awards are in recognition of "rural destinations that make tourism an engine for development and new employment and income opportunities, while preserving and promoting the values and products of the community". The villages are all considered to have demonstrated "commitment to innovation and sustainability in all its aspects - economic, social and environmental - and for tourism development in line with the sustainable development goals".

In Mallorca, there are three villages which are part of the network of Los Pueblos más Bonitos de España - Alcudia, Fornalutx and Pollensa. This is a network that has been created by a Spanish association. Where the Spanish government is concerned, it is perhaps unlikely that it would nominate a village in the Balearics. It wants to promote mainland rural tourism and in particular in parts of Spain where there have been decreases in population.