FAO teams up with UNWTO to boost sustainable rural tourism to help strengthen rural economies and conserve ecosystems
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Tourism Organization of the United Nations (UNWTO) today joined forces to promote sustainable tourism in rural areas with the aim of supporting rural economies.
Sustainable tourism in rural areas such as agritourism, ecotourism and pescatourism is an important driver of socio-economic growth that can reduce inequalities, increase resilience of rural communities and boost rural incomes.
The new partnership will also contribute to the ecosystems conservation and the development of the FAO's Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), as well as support the Coalition of Fragile Ecosystems (COFE) - a global alliance of vulnerable communities living in fragile ecosystems that advocates for the protection of mountain and island ecosystems and the resilience of their populations.