Dhordo – Best Tourism Village

Dhordo – Best Tourism Village

News: UNWTO has named Dhordo (Gujarat) as one of the best tourism villages in the world.

About Dhordo:
• From Salty marshland to an Iconic destination of the Western Indian Subcontinent – Dhordo, in the Rann of Kutch, has become the face of Gujarat’s development. Tourism has projected this formerly nondescript village onto the world tourism map.
• Tourism was launched through Rann Utsav, a fourmonth festival whereby a special tent city was created in the desertic land with all the necessary amenities made available to tourists.
• It is during these four months that the village comes to life displaying all the natural and cultural resources/products to its consumers. The economy is growing because the products are promoted nationally and internationally, and consumers are eager to engage with the resources as much as they want to learn the art of making them.
• The state initiated the Heritage Tourism Policy that promotes conservation of old properties through PPP; the Gujarat Tourism Policy, which allows financial incentives for investors towards constructing Bhungas as lodgings.

What are the Bhungas?
• Traditional homes called Bhungas, are used by locals and are also promoted as a tourist lodging offering an insight into the local experiences.
• Bhungas are circular mud huts, which withhold the integral character of Gujarat’s Kutch desert regions. These dwellings are climate resistant and have immense structural stability if hit by earthquakes. Additionally, they defend against cyclonic winds and sandstorms.
• Following a devastating earthquake in 1819, the inhabitants of Kutch devised the circular design of bhungas, which has been in use for nearly 200 years.
• Bhungas continued to stand strong even after the devastating earthquake of 2001.

What are other places of attraction near Dhordo?
• The White Desert (1 km from Dhordo)
• Kala Dungar (10 km from Dhordo)
• Purneshwar Temple: Said to be one of the oldest temples in the region.
• Banni Grasslands (5 km from Dhordo) is a bird lover’s paradise as it is a resting spot for all migratory birds.
• The Great Indian Bustard sanctuary Kutch

About UNWTO:
• The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development, and environmental sustainability.
• The UNWTO is headquartered in Madrid, Spain.