Monday, May 20, 2024 UN Tourism ‘s STAR tool boosts rural tourism by providing local authorities with a digital self-assessment system to enhance sustainability and development. The STAR (Self-assessment Tool to Assist Rural Destinations) by the UN Tourism organization helps local authorities in rural areas assess and advance their tourism development. By providing customized recommendations and benchmarking data, STAR supports sustainable and inclusive tourism policies.
Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, says: “The UN Tourism Self-assessment Tool is a game-changer for rural destinations. It empowers local authorities with a tool that allows them to self-evaluate their policies and actions, providing actionable insights fostering sustainable tourism development, and contributing to the overall growth of rural communities.” Open to all rural destinations in UN Tourism Member States, STAR invites local authorities to evaluate their tourism progress.
The tool offers a detailed recommendation guide to implement a sustainable, inclusive, and intelligent tourism model. Key features of STAR include: Self-Assessment : Rural destinations can self-evaluate their policies and initiatives using indicators across five areas: Tourism Governance; Economic, Social, and Cultural Sustainability; Environmental Sustainability; Tourism Development; and Infrastructure. This enables stakeholders to focus on strategic planning, marketing, training, policy-making, product di.
