While in Japan to attend United Nations-related meetings, UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nuwais visited Miyama, Nantan City, Kyoto Prefecture, on 22 May. Miyama was recognized as one of the Best Tourism Villages (BTV) by UN Tourism in 2021.
During her visit, the Secretary-General toured the historic Kayabuki-no-Sato (Miyama’s Thatched Village), a village renowned for its traditional thatched-roof houses dating back to the Edo period, and experienced the making of Miyama’s locally produced herbal tea, which has been handcrafted for generations. She also received a briefing from the Kyoto Miyama Tourism Association, the local focal point for the Best Tourism Villages initiative, on Miyama’s sustainable tourism initiatives, followed by an exchange of views with local tourism stakeholders.
Impressed by Miyama’s community-led efforts to preserve its cultural and natural heritage while promoting sustainable tourism, the Secretary-General remarked, “Miyama is one of the best places to experience Japan’s authentic culture, nature, and ecotourism.”
The exchange of views with local stakeholders also provided an opportunity to gain new perspectives on the role UN Tourism can play and on potential avenues for future collaboration in supporting Miyama’s continued development as a BTV.
