According to the UNWTO, “2020 marks the year of Tourism and Rural Development”, a theme shared with this year’s World Tourism Day. Today we have the chance to rethink and evaluate how the current tourism industry interacts with our societies and ecosystems. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism in rural development is more important than ever. Tourism in rural areas offers important chances for recovery as travelers begin to look for less populated destinations, activities and experiences out in open spaces. At the same time, rural communities are much less equiped to deal with the social and economic effects of this crisis, therefore it is vital to support them.

Our industry has the power to transform and create change in many places, however the benefits of the industry have been concentrated in urban areas, creating an unequal territorial distribution of economic opportunities and resources. This will also lead to the overcrowding of destinations, unsustainable demand for natural and cultural resources and to possible disruptions of social fabric and community life.

By promoting tourism in rural areas we can distribute the benefits of the industry to more regions and populations while also reducing the risks associated with centralized tourism in specific locations.

Tourism can also help increase the appeal and vitality of rural areas, reducing demographic challenges such as irregular migration and promote a range of local resources and traditions while respecting and embracing the essence of rural life and the travel experience.

Today we stand by our commitment in promoting a type of tourism that creates jobs and opportunities, preserves natural and cultural heritage and focuses on the development of women and youth while providing opportunities for territorial cohesion and inclusion. We commit to measuring our impact and managing it better, to ensure fairer distribution of benefits and to move towards a more resilient tourism industry.

We hope to show you all of this and more of Guatemala soon.

-The Etnica Team-