UN Tourism Announces Best Tourism Villages 2024: 55 Rural Communities Shaping the Future of Sustainable Travel

• All Regions
• 15 Nov 2024

From Caviahue-Copahue in Argentina to Tra Que Vegetable Village in Viet Nam, discover the 55 new Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism.

Rural destinations consolidate their position as key players in sustainable tourism and community development as UN Tourism announces its Best Tourism Villages 2024.

In this fourth edition, 55 villages from all regions received the recognition, chosen from over 260 applications from more than 60 UN Tourism Member States. Another 20 villages were chosen to join the Upgrade Programme.

The Best Tourism Villages initiative not only recognizes the remarkable achievements of these villages but also highlights the transformative power of tourism

“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 part of the UN Tourism for Rural Development Programme. The Programme works to foster development and inclusion in rural areas, combat depopulation, advance innovation and value chain integration through tourism, and encourage 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: Recognizes 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: Supports villages on their journey to meet recognition criteria, helping them improve in areas identified as weakness during evaluation.
• The Best Tourism Villages Network: A space for exchanging experiences and good practices, learning, and opportunities among its members, and it is open to contributions from experts and public and private sector partners engaged in the promotion of tourism as a driver for 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 and were able to 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 take place in early 2025, opening a new opportunity for rural destinations to share their inspiring initiatives and get global recognition as rural development champions.

Applications in 2023 and 2024 were evaluated by an independent Advisory Board. The composition of this multidisciplinary board for 2023-2024 is as follows:

• Ms. Aurkene Alzua-Sorzabal - Universidad de Nebrija, Spain (2023-2024)
• Mr. Federico Arteaga Vidiella – PhD, Innovation Sustainability (2023-2024)
• Prof. Jim Ayorekire - Makerere University (Uganda) (2023-2024)
• Mr. Greg Bakunzi - Red Rocks Foundation (2024)
• Mr. Joel Callañaupa – Planeterra (2023-2024)
• Prof. Joseph M. Cheer - Western Sydney University, Australia (2023-2024)
• Ms. Mari Dunleavy - Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) (2023-2024)
• Mr. Michel Durrieu - Huttopia International (2023-2024)
• Mr. Ahmed Eiweida - World Bank, Vietnam (2023-2024)
• Ms. Maria Gafo - Rural Development, European Commission (2024)
• Ms. Elena García Garrido - EU CAP Network (2023-2024)
• Dr. Rhea George - Prince Mohammed Bin Salman College of Business & Entrepreneurship (MBSC) (2023-2024)
• Mr. Christian Gsodam - European External Action Services (EEAS) (2023-2024)
• Mr. Antonio Guevara - Universidad de Málaga (2023-2024)
• Mr. Javier Guillermo - Virtuoso Travel (2024)
• Mr. Amran Hamzah - Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (2023-2024)
• Ms. Manal Kelig - Adventure Travel Trade Association (2023-2024)
• Ms. Judy Kepher-Gona - Sustainable Travel and Tourism Agenda (STTA) (2023)
• Ms. Sara King - Intrepid Travel (2023-2024)
• Ms. Denise Urias Levy - Interamerican Development Bank (IDB) (2023-2024)
• Mr. Fergus Maclaren - International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) (2023-2024)
• Mr. David Mora Gómez - Basque Culinary Center (2023-2024)
• Ms. Ximena Muñoz Vivas - Instituto Design Thinking (2023-2024)
• Ms. María José Murciano - Red Española de Desarrollo Rural (REDR) (2023-2024)
• Mr. Michael Neligwa – Tanzania Communication and Visibility Expert (2024)
• Mr. Jost Neumann - TUI Care Foundation (2023-2024)
• Mr. Fabrizio Angelo Orlando – TripAdvisor (2023-2024)
• Dr. Hanqin QIU - Hangzhou City University (2024)
• Mr. Lázaro Israel Rodríguez - (2023-2024)
• Ms. Andreia Roque - Brasil Rural (2024)
• Ms. Isabel Sánchez Tejado - Escuela de Turismo Generativo, Spain (2024)
• Ms. Sylvia Sáurez - Universidad Lead Costa Rica (2023-2024)
• Mr. Menno Stokman - CELTH (Center of Expertise – Leisure, Tourism, Hospitality) (2023-2024)
• Ms. Claudia Toselli - International Training Centre of the ILO (ITCILO) (2023-2024)
• Mr. Kazem Vafadari - Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan (2023-2024)
• Mr. Endo Yoshihide - Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (2023-2024)

A special appreciation to the late Dr. Carmen Nibigira, Tourism and Hospitality Expert who was part of the Advisory Board for the 2023-2024 period. UN Tourism expresses its sincere condolences to her family and friends.

Related links:

• Download the News Release on PDF
• Best Tourism Villages 2024 Edition: Recognized Villages Booklet
• Best Tourism Villages website
• Rural Tourism