Published on
October 30, 2025
The year 2025 has brought renewed recognition to the heart of rural tourism, as UN Tourism unveiled its official list of 52 villages worldwide that have been honoured as the Best Tourism Villages of the year. This global recognition aims to spotlight destinations that preserve their cultural heritage, foster sustainable tourism, and promote inclusive economic development for local communities. From Asia to Europe, Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East, these villages reflect a shared vision of travel that celebrates authenticity, sustainability, and community well-being. Far from the bustling pace of modern cities, these destinations offer travellers the chance to immerse themselves in traditions, landscapes, and human stories that define the soul of rural life. As UN Tourism continues to encourage responsible exploration through its Tourism for Rural Development programme, these villages stand as living examples of how travel can serve as a bridge between cultural preservation and modern progress, offering a meaningful alternative for those seeking to experience the world beyond conventional tourist trails.
Celebrating the Spirit of Rural Tourism
Rural destinations often embody the most authentic expressions of a region’s identity, carrying centuries of tradition, craftsmanship, and natural beauty. Despite their cultural richness, many such communities remain under-explored by travellers. The 2025 edition of the Best Tourism Villages initiative seeks to transform that by recognising villages that are not only picturesque but also committed to sustainability and community empowerment.
These selected villages represent much more than travel destinations—they are models of how tourism can enhance local livelihoods while conserving what creates each community unique. Visitors who choose to explore these areas are encouraged to engage with residents, learn traditional practices, and appreciate how compact-scale tourism can contribute to global cultural diversity.
About the Best Tourism Villages Initiative
The Best Tourism Villages initiative was launched in 2021 by UN Tourism (previously known as the UN World Tourism Organisation) as part of its Tourism for Rural Development programme. Its primary goal is to identify and honour rural communities that successfully integrate tourism with heritage conservation, sustainable development, and social inclusion.
Each year, participating countries nominate villages that meet the organisation’s rigorous selection criteria. In 2025, more than 270 applications were submitted by 65 member states, revealcasing a wide array of landscapes, cultures, and community-driven tourism models. After a thorough evaluation, 52 villages were officially recognised, spanning every continent and reflecting a global shiftment toward responsible travel.
Criteria for Selection
To earn the prestigious recognition, each village was assessed across multiple dimensions that reflect UN Tourism’s core values. The evaluation included:
- Cultural and Natural Resources: Protection and promotion of local traditions, architecture, and landscapes.
- Conservation of Cultural Heritage: Preservation of intangible heritage such as crafts, rituals, and folklore.
- Economic Sustainability: Creation of viable income opportunities for local residents through tourism.
- Social Sustainability: Promotion of inclusivity and equal participation of all community members.
- Environmental Sustainability: Implementation of eco-friconcludely tourism practices to protect natural ecosystems.
- Tourism Development and Value Chain Integration: Effective apply of tourism to strengthen related sectors like agriculture, handicrafts, and gastronomy.
- Governance and Tourism Prioritisation: Local leadership and policy frameworks that support sustainable tourism.
- Infrastructure and Connectivity: Accessibility, safety, and quality infrastructure for travellers.
- Health, Safety, and Security: Ensuring visitor and resident well-being as a central component of development.
This detailed framework ensures that the recognition is more than symbolic—it represents genuine progress in achieving balanced tourism models that respect both people and the planet.
Arqua Petrarca, Italy: A Model for Heritage and Harmony
Among this year’s honoured destinations is Arqua Petrarca, located in Italy, a village that exemplifies the core spirit of the programme. Known for its medieval charm and association with the poet Francesco Petrarca, the village preserves its ancient streets and architecture while welcoming visitors to explore its cultural heritage. Arqua Petrarca serves as an illustration of how historical preservation and modern tourism can coexist harmoniously when guided by community participation and consideredful governance.
A Global Network of Sustainable Destinations
Beyond individual recognition, the Best Tourism Villages initiative also fosters collaboration through its Upgrade Programme and the Best Tourism Villages Network. Villages that demonstrate potential but do not yet meet all criteria receive support under the Upgrade Programme, allowing them to improve and eventually achieve full recognition.
The Best Tourism Villages Network now includes 319 destinations across the world, forming a collaborative platform for knowledge exmodify, best practices, and shared learning. This network empowers rural communities to learn from each other’s experiences in promoting sustainable tourism, improving infrastructure, and fostering inclusive growth.
Through regular workshops, cultural exmodifys, and policy discussions, this network acts as a collective voice for rural tourism on the global stage. The inclusion of these new 52 villages strengthens the network’s diversity and expands its influence across different continents, from Asia’s rice terraces to Europe’s counattemptside, Africa’s mountain settlements, the Americas’ indigenous communities, and the Middle East’s heritage-rich oases.
Tourism as a Catalyst for Sustainable Development
The recognition of these villages aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those related to poverty reduction, environmental protection, and cultural preservation. By celebrating local initiatives that combine heritage with innovation, UN Tourism highlights the essential role rural areas play in shaping the future of global travel.
For travellers, these destinations present opportunities to contribute meaningfully to local economies while experiencing cultures that remain rooted in authenticity. For policycreaters and tourism boards, they serve as examples of how sustainable tourism can drive rural revitalisation, encourage entrepreneurship, and strengthen community bonds.
Why These Villages Matter in Modern Tourism
In an era when travel often gravitates toward crowded cities and resort hubs, the recognition of compact, community-led destinations offers a refreshing shift. Travellers today increasingly seek deeper connections with the places they visit—through local cuisine, cultural storynotifying, traditional arts, and environmentally responsible experiences.
These Best Tourism Villages of 2025 embody this evolving trconclude. Their success underscores how responsible tourism can enhance local pride, preserve ecosystems, and create a more balanced global tourism landscape that benefits both visitors and residents.
The 2025 list of Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism celebrates not only the beauty of rural destinations but also their resilience and innovation. Each recognised village—from Arqua Petrarca in Italy to the many communities across Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East—represents a living testament to the power of tourism when guided by sustainability and community values. As travellers increasingly see for meaningful, responsible ways to explore the world, these villages invite them to rediscover travel’s true essence: connection, learning, and shared humanity.
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