UN Tourism (formerly UNWTO) has opened applications for the new edition of its prestigious initiative for Best tourist villages 2025. Since its inception in 2021 The initiative has gained global recognition.Over the past four editions, UN Tourism has received more than 800 applications from over 100 countries.
Today, the UN Network of Best Tourist Villages includes 254 members worldwide: over 180 villages recognized as Best Tourist Villages and 70 of them participating in the Upgrade Program, representing almost 60 countries in five world regions.
Among them are two Croatian representatives. Let us recall that after the first edition of the elections, in 2021, Kastelir Labinci were selected for the Upgrade Programand in October 2023, the UN World Tourism Organization declared city of Slunj one of the best tourist villages.
Applications are open for the Best Tourist Villages 2025.
UN Tourism Member States are invited to nominate up to eight candidate villages through their national tourism administrations. Applications will be open until 19 May, and the villages recognized as the Best Tourism Villages 2025 will be announced in the third quarter of this year. An external advisory board of global experts will evaluate the applications based on nine key areas.
The UN Tourism Initiative for the Best Tourism Villages aims to harness tourism as a tool for rural development, well-being and resilience. Combining efforts to value and preserve rural landscapes, cultural diversity and knowledge systems, the initiative promotes innovative tourism strategies aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
The initiative consists of three constituent components:
- Recognition for the best tourist villages: The award recognizes rural tourism destinations that excel in preserving cultural and natural heritage, community values, and sustainability practices. The assessment is based on their performance in nine areas that encompass the economic, social, and environmental dimensions.
- Upgrade program: provides targeted support to villages that do not fully meet the criteria for recognition. These villages benefit from tailored guidelines to bridge gaps and improve their offerings.
- Network of the best tourist villages: serves as a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration among recognized villages and those in the Upgrading Program. The network organizes capacity building initiatives to foster linkages across sectors.
