Insights & Inspirations | Tourism-An Accelerator for Structural Transformation in Rural Areas?

At the 2025 WTA • Xianghu Dialogue held recently in Hangzhou, China, Mr. Jost Neumann, Program Coordinator of UN Tourism, delivered a keynote speech titled "Tourism-An Accelerator for Structural Transformation in Rural Areas?". The following is an excerpt from his address.

The World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) is the United Nations’ specialized agency for responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. In collaboration with its 160 Member States, 6 Associate Members and over 500 Affiliate Members, UN Tourism works to position tourism as a key driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability. We consistently advocate for the integration of tourism into national and global policy agendas, fully unlocking its significant potential to reduce poverty, create employment, foster innovation, and contribute to the achievement of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Today, I would like to focus on rural tourism. We are witnessing an unprecedented rate of global urbanization. Historical data reveals that in 1950, 70% of the world’s population lived in rural areas; by 2050, this proportion is projected to fall to just 32%. At the same time, rural communities face profound challenges. Approximately 83% of the world’s population living in extreme poverty resides in rural regions, with about 70% of these individuals surviving on less than $2.15 per day. In terms of economic opportunity and labor conditions, rural workers are far more likely to be engaged in informal employment, often without basic protections such as minimum wage guarantees, social insurance, or pension benefits. As a result, their average hourly wages are roughly 24% lower than those of urban workers. Regarding infrastructure and connectivity, more than half (58%) of rural inhabitants lack reliable access to electricity — a rate over five times higher than in urban areas. Furthermore, only 42% of the rural population has consistent internet access, significantly limiting their ability to participate fully in the opportunities offered by the digital age.

At the same time, rural areas are home to 80% of the world’s biodiversity. Rural communities are not only the guardians of these natural assets but also the custodians of invaluable indigenous cultures and heritage. For this very reason, we must place rural communities at the center of tourism development and technological application. Through systematic strategic planning and strong leadership, we can chart a sustainable blueprint for 21st-century rural development. Encouragingly, a 2023 survey among our Member States on the role of tourism in rural development revealed that 59% view tourism as a direct contributor to their rural agendas, while 37% see it as an indirect enabler. This underscores the widespread global recognition of tourism’s immense potential to drive rural development. We must seize this opportunity to leverage tourism as a catalyst for income generation, job creation, the preservation of cultural heritage and biodiversity, and to stimulate investment in essential infrastructure such as roads, healthcare, telecommunications, and internet connectivity, thereby promoting economic diversification and shared prosperity. Today, tourism is evolving from a standalone sector into a multi-industry integrated ecosystem. This transformation aims to achieve the synergistic development across community empowerment, the protection of rights, natural resource conservation, rural revitalization, and skills enhancement.

Tourism not only provides powerful momentum for protecting landscapes, biodiversity, heritage, and traditional cultures but also fosters the adoption of sustainable practices. To this end, we launched our flagship initiative, "Best Tourism Villages". This program aims to recognize exemplary destinations that use sustainable tourism as the core driver for rural development and community well-being. What distinguishes this initiative is its integration of tourism into a broader strategic framework for rural development. It consists of three key components: 1) An Annual Selection Process: Evaluated by an independent advisory committee to identify the "Best Tourism Villages" globally. 2) An Upgrading Program: Providing capacity-building support for villages with strong potential that have not yet received the award. 3) A Global Network: Through which we have established the world’s largest local community alliance — the "Best Tourism Villages Network". This network currently includes 52 villages designated as "2025 Best Tourism Villages", among which is Anji, China, selected just two months ago. This initiative firmly places tourism at the heart of rural development, and we are actively encouraging more villages to join, share experiences, and grow together within this collaborative network.

Of course, we also face significant challenges, including limited financing channels, weak public-private collaboration, and a lack of effective tools tailored for sustainable development. To address these issues, we have launched another flagship initiative — the "Tourism for Rural Development Small Grants Programme". This program aims to support civil society organizations and NGOs in rural areas to develop innovative, community-driven solutions. It focuses on enhancing the capacity of rural communities to protect natural resources and cultural heritage, build multi-stakeholder partnerships, and promote rural economic growth, job creation, and entrepreneurship. The first call for proposals in 2025 focused on empowering rural artists and artisans — especially women and youth — to safeguard traditional cultural heritage and integrate into the tourism value chain.

In addition, we have developed a self-assessment tool for sustainable rural tourism, designed to support rural destination management organizations in evaluating their progress toward sustainable tourism development. The tool enables benchmarking of resources, policies, and practices, helping identify strengths and areas for improvement. We have also organized three regional training courses on "Tourism for Rural Development" in the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific, equipping field managers with practical knowledge in strategy formulation, product development, and destination planning.

Returning to today’s central theme — how to reshape the future of rural tourism through innovation and digitalization — we recognize that technology is not merely a tool for enhancing travel experiences, but also a catalyst for transforming rural communities in planning, management, marketing, and even broader transformation. Many countries and regions have already undertaken impactful explorations: In Hungary, the mobile app "Everything Is Better in the South" promotes hiking, cycling, and cultural tourism, with a focus on showcasing local restaurants, shops, and services — especially those led by women and youth entrepreneurs — to strengthen their competitiveness in the digital marketplace. In Bad Hindelang, Germany, the "MA Mobile" electric shuttle service connects tourists to the public transport network, while the "Mobile Pass" offers free access to regional buses and trains, balancing sustainability with visitor convenience. In several Italian villages, virtual reality (VR) technology is being used to reinterpret cultural heritage sites — such as the tomb of poet Petrarch — bridging the gap between history and the present, and capturing the interest of younger generations. In Saas Fee, Switzerland, smart transportation and digital tour platforms ensure that people with disabilities can enjoy accessible and dignified travel experiences. In Kolochava, Ukraine, a 3D virtual tour platform has been developed, allowing potential visitors to explore landmarks remotely — offering a new pathway for cultural preservation and tourism recovery. Since 2023, Taraklı, Turkey, has implemented the "Village of Tomorrow" initiative, which combines heritage preservation with digital empowerment, focusing on e-commerce training for women and youth to drive cultural continuity and economic revitalization.

China serves as a global benchmark in this field. Many rural communities are harnessing mobile internet data and e-commerce platforms to directly sell agricultural products through live-streaming commerce and other innovative methods. By leveraging models like "live-streaming sales" and "agriculture-tourism integration", these communities have not only increased farmers’ incomes but have also integrated more deeply into the broader tourism economy, creating a value-sharing mechanism that ensures local benefits are retained within the community. At the same time, China continues to invest in digital infrastructure, deploying solutions such as shared electric vehicles, smart ticketing systems, and tourist information terminals, effectively promoting low-carbon travel and enhancing visitor convenience.

We firmly believe that inclusivity is not a privilege but a fundamental right for every traveler. Technology is far more than a mere tool — it is a powerful catalyst that can propel rural areas toward a more prosperous, inclusive, and resilient future across governance, marketing, and community development. Therefore, I call for placing rural communities at the heart of tourism and technological application. Through innovation and digitalization, we can generate income and employment, protect cultural and natural heritage, achieve inclusive development, and truly ensure that "no community is left behind". By organically integrating rural opportunities with urban capabilities, we can together write a new chapter for sustainable tourism.