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.”
STAR Accessible for All Rural Destinations
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 diversification, infrastructure, cultural preservation, local collaboration, financing, data analysis, and result measurement.
Tailored Recommendations: The tool provides customized guidance aligned with UN Tourism standards, considering the unique characteristics of rural destinations.
Benchmarking Excellence: Supporting local authorities, STAR facilitates the evaluation of policies and practices, allowing destinations to benchmark their performance.
Data and Insights: STAR offers extensive data and analytics, highlighting strengths and weaknesses in local tourism policies and strategies. This information helps local, regional, and national authorities enhance tourism development in rural areas.
STAR’s Role in Rural Development
Part of the UN Tourism’s Tourism for Rural Development program, STAR envisions tourism as a catalyst for rural development and well-being. It values rural villages, landscapes, knowledge systems, and cultural diversity. The program aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promoting innovative and transformative approaches to tourism in rural destinations.
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