UN Tourism opens call for Best Tourism Villages 2025

Is your village a hidden gem of sustainable tourism? UN Tourism is calling for applications for the Best Tourism Villages 2025, recognizing rural destinations that excel in sustainability, cultural heritage, and community-driven tourism.

We encourage villages across the Baltic and Nordic countries to seize this opportunity to showcase their unique charm and gain global recognition! Participating brings benefits like international visibility, networking, and expert support to enhance sustainable tourism development.

UN Tourism has opened applications for the 2025 edition of its prestigious Best Tourism Villages initiative. This initiative marks a continued commitment to advancing rural tourism as a catalyst for sustainable development and inclusion, while celebrating the rich tapestry of cultural and natural heritage, community values, and sustainable practices that make these destinations unique.

Since its inception in 2021, the initiative has gained global recognition. Across the previous four editions, UN Tourism has received more than 800 applications from over 100 countries. Today, the UN Tourism Best Tourism Villages Network includes 254 members worldwide: over 180 villages recognized as Best Tourism Villages and 70 participating in the Upgrade Programme, representing almost 60 countries across five world regions.

Applications will close on May 19, 2025. The villages recognized as Best Tourism Villages 2025 will be announced in the third quarter of the year on the occasion of a UN Tourism event.

An external Advisory Board comprising global experts will evaluate applications based on nine key areas:

Cultural and Natural Resources
Promotion and Conservation of Cultural Resources
Economic Sustainability
Social Sustainability
Environmental Sustainability
Tourism Development and Value Chain Integration
Governance and Prioritization of Tourism
Infrastructure and Connectivity
Health, Safety, and Security

Read more: https://www.unwto.org/news/un-tourism-opens-call-for-best-tourism-villages-2025?utm_source=news&utm_medium=crm