UN Tourism Awards: 55 Rural Communities Honoured

Rural destinations are solidifying their role as essential contributors to sustainable tourism and community development, as the UN Tourism Organization announces its Best Tourism Villages for 2024. In this fourth edition, 55 villages from various regions have received this recognition, selected from over 260 applications across more than 60 UN Tourism Member States. Another 20 villages have also been chosen to participate in the Upgrade Programme.

“Tourism is a vital tool for inclusion, empowering rural communities to protect and value their rich cultural heritage while driving sustainable development,” said UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.

“The Best Tourism Villages initiative not only recognizes the remarkable achievements of these villages but also highlights the transformative power of tourism. By leveraging their unique assets, these communities can foster economic growth, promote local traditions, and enhance the quality of life for their residents. We celebrate the villages that have embraced tourism as a pathway to empowerment and community well-being, demonstrating that sustainable practices can lead to a brighter future for all.”

The Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism initiative was launched in 2021 to advance tourism’s role in rural areas, preserving landscapes, cultural diversity, local values, and culinary traditions. The Best Tourism Villages (BTV) Network grows every year, and with the announcement of its 75 new members, 254 villages are now part of the largest community of rural destinations in the world.

Uniting Rural Destinations for Sustainable Development

The Best Tourism Villages initiative is a part of the UN Tourism for Rural Development Programme. This Programme promotes development and inclusion in rural areas, combats depopulation, advances innovation and value chain integration through tourism and encourages sustainable practices.

As in previous editions, the villages were evaluated under nine key areas:

1. Cultural and Natural Resources
2. Promotion and Conservation of Cultural Resources
3. Economic Sustainability
4. Social Sustainability
5. Environmental Sustainability
6. Tourism Development and Value Chain Integration
7. Governance and Prioritization of Tourism
8. Infrastructure and Connectivity
9. Health, Safety, and Security

The initiative comprises three pillars:

• Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism: This award recognises outstanding rural tourism destinations with accredited cultural and natural assets, a commitment to preserving community-based values, and a clear commitment to innovation and sustainability across economic, social, and environmental dimensions.
• Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism Upgrade Programme: This programme supports villages on their journey to meet recognition criteria, helping them improve in areas identified as weak during evaluation.
• The Best Tourism Villages Network is a space for exchanging experiences, good practices, learning, and opportunities among its members. It is open to contributions from experts and public and private sector partners engaged in promoting tourism as a driver of rural development.

The 55 Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism 2024 are (in alphabetical order):

From Fast Track to Recognition

This year, seven villages from the Best Tourism Villages Upgrade Programme have achieved recognition as Best Tourism Villages. Through the Upgrade Programme, villages received mentorship to improve their lowest-scored areas of evaluation, which they could apply through a fast-track process and qualify for Best Tourism Village recognition. These outstanding villages include Capulálpam de Méndez (Mexico), Grand Baie (Mauritius), Kalopanagiotis (Cyprus), Pissouri (Cyprus), Ruboni (Uganda), Bo Suak (Thailand), and Trevelin (Argentina).

The 20 villages selected to participate in the Upgrade Programme this year are:

The call for submissions for the fifth edition will occur in early 2025, opening a new opportunity for rural destinations to share their inspiring initiatives and get global recognition as rural development champions.