The United Nations Organization for Tourism (UN Tourism) has announced the opening of registrations for the 2025 edition of its acclaimed initiative Best Tourism Villages. This initiative aims to promote rural tourism as a driver of sustainable development and inclusion. Currently, the Best Tourism Villages Network has 254 members around the world, of which more than 180 villages have been recognized as Best Tourism Villages and 70 are participating in the Upgrade Program.
The UN Tourism Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili, highlighted that the Best Tourism Villages initiative honors rural destinations where tourism acts as an instrument to create opportunities and promote cultural preservation and sustainable growth. Pololikashvili mentioned that these villages leverage their unique advantages to foster economic growth and improve the quality of life of their communities.
UN Tourism Member States are invited to submit up to eight candidate villages through their National Tourism Administrations. Applications will close on May 19, 2025, and the selected villages will be announced during a UN Tourism event in the third quarter of the year. An external Advisory Board will evaluate the applications based on nine fundamental criteria, including economic, social, and environmental sustainability, as well as the promotion and conservation of cultural resources.
The Best Tourism Villages initiative seeks to use tourism as a tool for rural development and resilience, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since its launch in 2021, it has received more than 800 applications from over 100 countries in its previous editions, celebrating not only the cultural and natural heritage of destinations but also the community values and sustainable practices that make those places unique.
