The sanctioned individuals will be barred from entering Switzerland.

Bryan Zaragoza (centre down) celebrates after winning the game for Spain.© AFP

As a year of travel that was marked largely by overtourism protests in Barcelona, Oaxaca and Venice draws to a close, the appeal of offbeat vacations continues to grow.

To wit, consider these spots you’ve likely never heard of: secluded Graciosa Island on the Azores, the remote fishing village Roches Noires in northeastern Mauritius, or mountainous Wukirsari, Indonesia, 270 miles east of Jakarta. They’re among the 55 small, rural escapes around the world that earned a spot in the 2024 edition of UN Tourism’s “Best Tourism Villages.” The list of winning destinations, previewed exclusively by Bloomberg News, was released on Nov. 14 at the organization’s Executive Council meeting in Cartagena, Colombia.

The initiative, started in 2021, aims to raise awareness of lesser-known places worth visiting—and also reward responsible tourism management. Put simply, these destinations are using visitation funds in a way that boosts their cultural practices, preserves biodiversity and improves quality of life for locals. Each village also counts fewer than 15,000 inhabitants and maintains traditional activities such as agriculture and fishing.

“The Best Tourism Villages initiative not only recognizes the remarkable achievements of these villages but also highlights the transformative power of tourism,” says UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.

Among this year’s worthy escapes are rural villages in Panama and Guatemala, two countries appearing on the list for the first time. Panama’s historic northern port of Portobelo, for example, draws smaller crowds despite its tranquil Caribbean beaches and significant colonial past. But it also stood out because tourism there helps fund cultural heritage preservation activities for youth through the Bahía de Portobelo Foundation, as well as coral reef restoration projects.

Appearing on this coveted list can lead to increased visitation from higher-spending travelers, too. For instance, in Aragon, Spain, the village of Alquezar’s mountain trekking, canyoning and hiking used to draw mostly visitors from France and Spain, but since its win in 2022, international visitors from Japan and China have vacationed there, according to Alquezar Mayor Ana Blasco Castillo. Sandra Carvao, who helps develop rural tourism as a director at UN Tourism, sees this as one of the major pluses of the Best Tourism Villages initiative, in addition to diverting travelers from major hot spots. “It’s really to make sure that the sector can benefit places which wouldn’t necessarily be top of your mind,” she says.

This year’s winners were selected from 260 nominations that UN Tourism received from more than 60 member countries. We highlighted five that are easily accessible.

Splugen, Switzerland

Splugen, in the Swiss Alps near the Italian border, is smaller in size as a ski getaway than, say, the busier and glitzy St. Moritz just an hour-and-a-half scenic drive east. But that’s exactly the draw: It’s a quieter winter sports vacation destination that doubles as an under-the-radar spot in the spring and summer, with access to crystal clear lakes and Beverin Regional Nature Park. Splügen became part of this protected area in 2020, joining more than 10 communities living here who’ve committed to play a part in preserving it. Next year boutique property Speluca Brewery Hotel is set to open; its design makes use of formerly abandoned spaces on the village’s outskirts, including an old barn and a former hotel from the 1960s, plus new structures that will reflect the village’s traditional timber aesthetic. Splügen’s communities want to attract more year-round visitors as well, whom they expect once the future Rheinwald Resort AG project is completed, featuring a mix of rooms and a campsite for long-term stays.

San Rafael de la Laguna, Ecuador

San Rafael de la Laguna serves as a reminder of Ecuador’s outsize natural riches—sitting in the foothills of the Andes, just under a two-hour drive north of Quito. It’s close to Imbakucha, or the lake of the gods, also commonly known as Lago San Pablo. You can hop on guided tours to spot herons and ducks from traditional boats made from totora reeds, a local aquatic plant growing abundantly in the area. Cycling enthusiasts will find routes that traverse the Otavalo Valley, and the village also celebrates vibrant Indigenous rooted festivals. The Pawkar Raymi marks the start of the agricultural season in early March, in alignment with the spring equinox, and the Inti Raymi celebrates the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. Expect plenty of community events for both, including traditional Andean music and dance. If you’re more into hands-on experiences, craft workshops teach you to make baskets, trays and hats out of totora reeds.

Gharb Suhayl, Egypt

If you’re set on visiting the Grand Egyptian Museum in 2025, it would be worth including a stop in Aswan, south of Giza. From there, hop on a 30-minute boat ride south to reach the peaceful, ancient Nubian village of Gharb Suhayl, set on the banks of the Nile. Beyond its brightly painted homes in blue, yellow and ocher, you’ll find striking art murals, said to give the area the feel of a living outdoor museum. You’re likely to be invited into a Nubian family’s home to learn about the way of life, and you could also spend time shopping in souks for crafts, jewelry and spices. A handful of luxury tour operators, such as Black Tomato, offer stops in Aswan, continuing down the Nile to Abu Simbel.

Pissouri, Cyprus

On Cyprus’ rugged southwestern coast, Pissouri offers a quieter alternative to resort town Limassol, which lies just a 30-minute drive east. You’ll have your pick of outdoor activities in Pissouri, including the Cape Astrot hiking trail, tucked along gigantic rock formations, for jaw-dropping vistas over a turquoise bay and its pebble sand beach. The agricultural village’s cobblestoned square is lined with local tavernas where you can dine on Cypriot meze—small plates of local cheeses, olives, seafood and grilled meats, as well as dips. For a deeper dive into Pissouri’s heritage, get a guided tour at G Theophamous Winery on the history of Pissouri’s Sultanina grape and winemaking traditions. To draw more visitors in the future, this small agricultural village is working on an accessible hiking trail for disabled travelers, as well as a House of Halloumi Museum— named after Cyprus’ signature cheese—that will showcase this region’s dairy products.

Uaxactún, Guatemala

Most people head to Tikal National Park and unknowingly bypass Uaxactún, an ancient Mayan historical site located just a 30-minute drive north. But it counts uncrowded forest trails where you can observe the area’s temples, including a ceremonial complex, stelae and an astronomy observatory that the Maya once used to mark celestial events. Uaxactún was at its peak from 600 A.D. to 900 A.D., when it was an important center for art and astronomy. In March the eponymous village celebrates the spring equinox festival through sacred ceremonies at the site that include chants, fires and drumming. Inquire about a craftmaking workshop with local women’s group Brisas de la Selva Maya, where you’ll learn to make necklaces and bracelets from forest-sourced elements such as seeds, mushrooms and flowers.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Geneva, Switzerland:

Switzerland on Saturday inaugurated its new supercomputer called Alps — one of the world’s fastest — which it hopes will help place the country first for trustworthy artificial intelligence solutions.

The ETH Zurich University officially inaugurated Alps at the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS) in Lugano, southern Switzerland.

“Alps is an expression of our vision of a future characterised by knowledge and progress,” Economy, Education and Research Minister Guy Parmelin said in a speech at the CSCS site.

In June, Alps was ranked as the world’s sixth most powerful supercomputer. However, at the time it was not fully constructed and had only reached 60 per cent of its potential.

The supercomputer was developed to meet extreme data and computing scientific requirements and allows artificial intelligence to be utilised more fully.

It is the central part of an initiative “to position Switzerland as the world’s leading hub for the development and implementation of transparent and trustworthy AI solutions”, ETH Zurich said in a statement.

Andreas Krause, head of the AI Centre at ETH Zurich, said: “Alps makes it possible to train complex AI models for important applications, for example, in medicine and climate research.”

The MeteoSwiss national weather service is already using the Alps to produce a higher-resolution weather prediction model that better reflects Switzerland’s complex topography of mountains and valleys.

Parmelin said on X that the Alps would be “opening new horizons, clearing the path for the future, placing Switzerland in pole position for scientific research”.

CSCS deputy director Michele De Lorenzi told Switzerland’s Keystone-ATS news agency it would take 40,000 years for a commercial laptop to perform the operations that the Alps can do in a day.

The supercomputer is housed in 33 cabinets covering 116 square metres.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is currently in Saudi Arabia for a key Gulf summit, will travel to Germany and Switzerland later this week on an official visit.

Mr Jaishankar will reach Berlin, Germany, on Tuesday for a two-day official visit – his third visit as Foreign Minister to Berlin.

The minister will meet the German Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock as well as the leadership and other ministers from the German government with an aim to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations between India and Germany, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

“Both India and Germany share a robust Strategic Partnership and Germany is one of India’s prominent trading partners and among the largest Foreign Direct Investors,” the MEA said.

Mr Jaishankar is currently in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to attend the First India-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. His visit comes as India looks to bolster its ties in West Asia, popularly called the Middle East.

The Gulf Cooperation Council is a political and economic union of six countries in the Gulf region- Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman. 

After his Germany visit, Mr Jaishankar will travel to Geneva, Switzerland, from September 12 to 13. Mr Jaishankar will meet the Swiss Foreign Minister to review the close partnership between the two countries and explore avenues to enhance the bilateral relationship further, according to the MEA.

Geneva is home to some of the most important international organisations and UN agencies, including the World Health Organisation, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and the International Labour Organisation.

The minister is expected to meet the heads and representatives of international organisations with whom India is actively engaged.

As the most populous country in the world and among the top 5 global economies, India has been vying for permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council for years. Countries like Russia, France, the US, and the UK have endorsed India’s bid, with China being the only hindrance.

File image of Yann Sommer.© X (Twitter)

The Swiss government is looking for innovative solutions to remove thousands of tonnes of ammunition dumped in the lakes. And it comes with a massive 50,000 franc (Rs 48.5 lakhs) prize money. The ammunition, estimated to be around 3,300 tonnes in Lake Lucerne and 4,500 tonnes in Lake Neuchatel, was disposed of by the Swiss military.

Background

Dumping munitions in lakes dates back to the Cold War era when Switzerland maintained a large militia army as part of its “armed neutrality” defence strategy. For decades, between 1918 and 1964, the Swiss military used the lakes – Neuchatel, Thun, Brienz and Lucerne – as dumping grounds for old munitions, believing it to be a safe disposal method. However, the reality is far from it. Some munitions lie at depths of 150-220 metres, while others are just six or seven metres below the surface. The risk of explosion and water and soil contamination is high, with toxic TNT potentially polluting the lake water and sediment.

Challenges

The submerged ammunition is covered by a fine sediment layer, and recovery efforts may stir up sediments, leading to oxygen loss and damage to the lake ecosystem. Previous assessments have shown that proposed recovery techniques would lead to muddy waters and high risks for the sensitive ecosystem of the lake. 

The recovery operation is expected to be long and costly, with estimates suggesting it could cost billions, which is why the Swiss defence department is seeking ideas for a safe and environmental solution to retrieve the munitions, with the public invited to submit their proposals until February next year. 

The competition, where the top three entries will be given prize money worth almost Rs 50 lakh, is open and anonymous, and the last date to submit entries is February 6, 2025. A panel of experts will assess the entries based on predefined criteria and announce the results in April 2025.

Retired Swiss geologist Marcos Buser suggests seeking advice from countries with experience in dealing with wartime wrecks containing unexploded weapons, such as the UK, Norway or Denmark. Mr Buser who advised the government on the issue warned of the dangers of explosion and contamination and stated the need for a careful and well-planned recovery operation, as per the BBC. 

In his research paper, Mr Buser highlighted two primary concerns: the risk of explosion and water and soil contamination.

Since fuses were not removed from the munitions before dumping, the risk of explosion remains even underwater. It poses a significant threat to the environment and human safety. Water and soil contamination is another concern, as highly toxic TNT could pollute the lake water and sediment. It could have devastating effects on the ecosystem. 

This is not the first time the Swiss military has faced criticism for its handling of munitions. In 1947, a massive blast in Mitholz killed nine people and destroyed the village. More recently, the military revealed that 3,500 tonnes of unexploded ammunition buried in the mountain was not safe, requiring a decade-long clean-up operation. 

Xherdan Shaqiri is Switzerland’s second most-capped player after Granit Xhaka on 130 caps.© AFP

Novak Djokovic reached the Wimbledon fourth round for the 16th time on Saturday after taking a break to help the Centre Court crowd celebrate England’s Euro 2024 win over Switzerland in Germany. Djokovic claimed a battling 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) win over Australia’s Alexei Popyrin as he stayed on course for a record-equalling eighth title at the All England Club and 25th Grand Slam. At 4-1 ahead in the second set, fans inside Centre Court let out a huge roar and applause to mark the national team’s penalty shootout win in Dusseldorf. 

Djokovic also marked England’s quarter-final win over Switzerland by imitating taking a penalty kick during the match. While Djokovic shadow-kicked the ball, his Australian opponent took on the role of goalkeeper, shaping to make a save.

Watch: Novak Djokovic’s mid-match penalty kick!

Novak Djokovic simulates taking a penalty kick after Wimbledon erupted at England winning. pic.twitter.com/SEgt9XmHAs

— Danny (@DjokovicFan_) July 6, 2024

“I assumed it was a penalty shootout between England and Switzerland – it felt like for a set and a half the crowd really wanted to understand what the score is in the football match,” explained Djokovic.

“Did England win in the end? That’s why you guys stayed. Congrats to England.”

He added: “I tried to shoot a penalty, I’m left footed, but Alexei defended it well.”

Djokovic has now made the last 16 at the majors for a 65th time while Saturday’s win was also the 95th at Wimbledon for Djokovic who underwent knee surgery last month.

World number two Djokovic will face Holger Rune, the 15th seed from Denmark, for a place in the quarter-finals.

Rune, a quarter-finalist last year, defeated Quinton Halys 1-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 to register his first win from two sets down.

England’s quest for a first major tournament win in 58 years remained alive after another late fightback before beating Switzerland 5-3 on penalties to book their place in the Euro 2024 semi-finals on Saturday. After the 120 minutes finished level at 1-1, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was the Three Lions’ hero in the shoot-out as he saved Switzerland’s first spot-kick from Manuel Akanji. Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Ivan Toney and Trent Alexander-Arnold converted their penalties to send England into a semi-final meeting with Turkey or the Netherlands in Dortmund on Wednesday. After needing Bellingham’s 95th-minute equaliser before going on to beat Slovakia in extra time in the last 16, England were again staring at defeat with 10 minutes to go.

A dreary encounter for the first 75 minutes came to life after Breel Embolo put Switzerland in front.

Saka’s fine strike from outside the box levelled with England’s first shot on target five minutes later.

Manchester City defender Akanji was then the unfortunate penalty villain as Switzerland’s horrible record in major tournament quarter-finals goes on.

They have now lost five without ever reaching a semi-final.

By contrast, England march on despite another in a string of underwhelming performances from Gareth Southgate’s men.

“We know there are two more games, we can change our lives and make more history that’s not been done before,” said man-of-the-match Saka.

In his 100th match in charge of his country, Southgate again resisted calls for mass changes in personnel but did alter his system.

Ezri Konsa made his first ever competitive international start in place of the suspended Marc Guehi as England switched to a back three.

However, contrary to expectation, Saka remained on the right in what proved to be an inspired decision by Southgate.

The Arsenal winger was by far the biggest threat of a first half in which neither side managed a shot on target.

Saka was skipping beyond Michel Aebischer at will and created the best chance of the first period when Kobbie Mainoo saw an effort deflected behind just before the half-time whistle.

The game continued at the same laboured pace from both sides into the second half.

Southgate has been repeatedly criticised for being too slow to influence games with his substitutions.

Despite having one of the most richly-talented squads at the tournament, it took until they fell behind for the England boss to shake things up.

England looked headed for a meek exit when Embolo pounced at the far post to turn in Dan Ndoye’s deflected cross at the back post.

Southgate reacted immediately with Palmer, Eberechi Eze and Luke Shaw, making his first appearance since February, sent on.

Within five minutes they were level as Saka cut inside and fired low and hard in off the far post.

Switzerland were indebted to a brilliant save from Yann Sommer to deny Declan Rice a second for England early in extra time.

Harry Kane was then forced off injured after a nasty fall into the England dugout.

And it was Switzerland who came closest in the second half of extra time as Xherdan Shaqiri‘s corner came back off the woodwork before Pickford parried Zeki Amdouni’s powerful strike from distance.

England had won only one of five previous penalty shoot-outs at the Euros, including defeat by Italy in the final three years ago.

But they were perfect from the spot as Saka erased some of the pain from his decisive miss in the Euro 2020 final.

“For me it is something I embrace,” added Saka. “You can fail once but you have a choice whether to put yourself in that position again.

“I believe we have some of the best takers in the Premier League and in the world.

“We were pretty confident if it came to penalties and showed that today. We scored five out of five and into the next round.”