The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) celebrates the Best Tourism villages for 2022 during a ceremony organized in AlUla Governorate on March 12 and 13. The "Best Tourism villages" initiative is the flagship project of the UNWTO Tourism for Rural Development Program. Since 2021, it has issued an annual list of destinations highlighting its commitment to sustainability in all its economic, social, and environmental aspects. UNWTO chose Al-Ula to host this global event after selecting the "old town" in the governorate among the best tourism villages in the world for 2022. During the ceremony, global villages will be honored in the presence of several ministers from the winning countries. In December 2022, UNWTO selected the best tourism villages 2022, which were evaluated by an independent advisory board based on a set of criteria covering nine areas: cultural and natural resources, promotion and preservation of cultural resources, economic sustainability, social sustainability, environmental sustainability, tourism development and value chain integration, tourism management and prioritization, infrastructure, connectivity, health, and safety. — SPA