The World Tourism Organization (WTO) has named Ethiopia’s Choke Mountains Ecovillage among the Best Tourism Villages 2022.
The Choke Mountains ecovillage is found in the West Gojjam Zone of the Amhara region.
The WTO, a specialized UN agency on Thursday described the ecovillage as the driving force for rural development by protecting cultural and natural resources, traditions and community-based values, tourism products, and lifestyles.
The agency annually recognizes the best villages that are outstanding examples of rural tourism destinations.
The Choke Mountains Ecovillage made it to the list of Best Tourism Villages 2022 after it was evaluated by an independent advisory board based on nine criteria including tourism development and value chain Integration.
The village is located in Ethiopia’s third highest Mt Choke – 300 km northwest of Addis Ababa.
“This ecotourism village has developed sustainable land management and is promoting solar energy, biogas and waste management,” the UN special agency said.
The local farming community in this village lives in harmony by adopting the ideology of Mulu ecovillage which promotes fair trade tourism, sustainable tourism development, sustainable culture and nature conservation, it added..
MG/abj/APA