The Union Ministry of Tourism announced winners of the Best Tourism Villages Competition 2024 today on the occasion of World Tourism Day.
Umden and Mawphlang villages in Meghalaya were recognised as winners in the category of Craft and Heritage respectively. Umden is known for its traditional silk industry, while Mawphlang’s sacred groves strongly reinforce the importance of local heritage.
To promote tourism to the Soul of India, i.e. India’s villages, the Best Tourism Villages Competition was introduced in 2023. The focus was to identify and recognise villages that preserve and promote cultural and natural assets through community-based values and commitment to sustainability in all aspects.
The first edition of the Best Tourism Villages Competition in 2023 saw applications from 795 villages. In the second edition, a total of 991 applications were received from 30 states and Union territories, out of which 36 villages were recognised as winners across eight categories.
The categories this year were adventure tourism, agri tourism, community-based tourism, craft, heritage, responsible tourism, spiritual wellness and vibrant village.
Among the other North East states, Mizoram’s Sialsuk and Tripura’s Alpana Gram won for community-based tourism, Assam’s Sualkuchi for craft and Manipur’s Andro for heritage.
