Home » ASIA » France, Japan, Germany, and More Shine in 2025’s Best Rural Tourism Villages – What About India? Find Out if Your Favorite Destination is Included!
Published on
October 18, 2025
On October 17, 2025, UN Tourism unveiled the highly anticipated list of the Best Tourism Villages for 2025, a recognition that highlights the immense potential of rural tourism. With a growing focus on sustainability, cultural preservation, and economic development, these 52 villages represent the best of global rural destinations. Spanning across 29 countries, these communities showcase how rural areas can thrive through tourism, creating significant opportunities for both social and economic growth.
The Best Tourism Villages initiative, launched by UN Tourism in 2021, continues to gain momentum, recognizing the powerful role that tourism can play in fostering inclusive growth, environmental conservation, and cultural heritage preservation. From Asia’s spiritual haven of Koyasan in Japan to the lush, scenic beauty of Chamarel in Mauritius, these villages exemplify how tourism can build a sustainable future for rural communities.
The initiative’s aim is not only to promote the villages but to encourage others to adopt practices that safeguard their cultural and natural resources while integrating sustainable tourism development. The Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism initiative continues to gain traction and offers global recognition to these rural gems. Their unique approaches serve as inspiration for other rural destinations to innovate and advance their tourism offerings.
In this article, we will delve into the highlights of the newly recognized villages, explore their distinctive tourism offerings, and understand how they contribute to rural development. This announcement also includes villages from across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, all of which have proven to be leaders in tourism, sustainability, and heritage preservation.
The 52 Best Tourism Villages for 2025: A Comprehensive List
This year, 52 villages from 29 countries were recognized as part of the Best Tourism Villages 2025 list. The selected villages were evaluated across various criteria, including cultural heritage preservation, natural resource management, sustainability in tourism practices, and community involvement. The selection process considered over 270 applications from UN Tourism Member States, ultimately highlighting villages that best demonstrate how tourism can stimulate rural economies while protecting the environment and cultural legacies.
The following are the recognized villages:
- Agaete, Spain
- Akyaka, Türkiye
- Aldea San Cristóbal El Alto, Guatemala
- Anıtlı, Türkiye
- Antônio Prado, Brazil
- Arquà Petrarca, Italy
- Asolo, Italy
- Asuka, Japan
- Barbaros, Türkiye
- Bellano, Italy
- Bled, Slovenia
- Carlos Pellegrini, Argentina
- Chamarel, Mauritius
- Digang, China
- Dongluo, China
- Ezcaray, Spain
- Flößerstadt Schiltach, Germany
- Grand River South East, Mauritius
- Hosszúhetény, Hungary
- Huanggang, China
- Jikayi, China
- Kale Üçağız, Türkiye
- Kandelous, Iran
- Kaštelir Labinci, Croatia
- Khinalig, Azerbaijan
- Kolochava, Ukraine
- Koyasan, Japan
- Krupa na Vrbasu, Bosnia Herzegovina
- Loriga, Portugal
- Lô Lô Chải, Vietnam
- Maimará, Argentina
- Marktgemeinde Bad Hindelang, Germany
- Masfout, United Arab Emirates
- Mértola, Portugal
- Mórahalom, Hungary
- Muju Village, Republic of Korea
- Murillo, Colombia
- Neot Semadar, Israel
- North Azraq, Jordan
- Pacto, Ecuador
- Pemuteran, Indonesia
- Plateliai, Lithuania
- Pont-Croix, France
- Quynh Son Community-based Tourism Village, Vietnam
- Shafiabad, Iran
- Shodoshima, Japan
- Soheili, Iran
- Synevyrska Polyana, Ukraine
- Tonosho, Japan
- Valendas, Switzerland
- Vila Nogueira de Azeitão, Portugal
- Yangsuri, Republic of Korea
Each of these villages has demonstrated exceptional success in integrating sustainable practices, preserving their unique cultural and natural heritage, and leveraging tourism for rural development. The villages that made the list represent a diverse range of geographies, cultures, and tourist experiences.
Tourism for Rural Development: Key Benefits
The Best Tourism Villages initiative is an essential component of the UN Tourism for Rural Development Programme. This initiative plays a pivotal role in accelerating tourism’s contribution to rural development by recognizing destinations that embrace sustainable practices and preserve their cultural and natural resources. Here are some of the core benefits these villages offer to the broader tourism industry and local communities:
1. Cultural and Natural Heritage Preservation
Many of the Best Tourism Villages showcase remarkable efforts to preserve and promote their cultural and natural heritage. By engaging with local communities and emphasizing the importance of safeguarding their traditions and landscapes, these villages not only attract tourists but ensure the longevity of their unique assets.
2. Economic Sustainability
The recognition of these villages brings increased visibility, which translates into more tourism revenue. This creates sustainable economic growth, which can uplift rural economies, provide job opportunities for locals, and help improve infrastructure and services.
3. Social Sustainability and Inclusion
Rural tourism fosters social inclusion by integrating communities into tourism development. This helps in reducing rural-urban disparities and offers rural populations the chance to take control of their tourism strategies, ensuring the benefits reach all members of the community.
4. Environmental Sustainability
The villages selected for the Best Tourism Villages 2025 list have adopted environmentally responsible practices. Whether it’s in energy conservation, waste management, or wildlife protection, these communities play a crucial role in promoting eco-friendly tourism that benefits both visitors and the environment.
5. Tourism Development and Value Chain Integration
Recognizing these villages not only brings global attention but also supports their integration into larger tourism value chains. From local craft markets to culinary experiences, rural villages are increasingly part of the global tourism economy.
Upgrade Programme: Supporting High-Potential Villages
The Best Tourism Villages initiative also includes an Upgrade Programme, aimed at supporting high-potential villages that may not yet meet all the recognition criteria. This program helps villages improve their tourism infrastructure, social inclusivity, environmental sustainability, and governance.
The following 20 villages have been selected to participate in the Upgrade Programme:
- Al-Bashandi Village, Egypt
- Brihuega, Spain
- Comuna Chiguilpe de la Nacionalidad Tsa’chila, Ecuador
- Dawa Village, China
- Evolène, Switzerland
- Iraq Al-Amir, Jordan
- Kemiren, Indonesia
- Lolol, Chile
- Meisenheim, Germany
- Montagnana, Italy
- Nari Village, Republic of Korea
- Nopala de Villagrán, Mexico
- Omonxona, Uzbekistan
- Oosterend, Netherlands
- Orduña, Spain
- Parroquia Biblián, Ecuador
- Quintandona, Portugal
- San Javier y Yacanto, Argentina
- San Martín de Unx, Spain
- Sant’Andrea di Conza, Italy
These villages, while not yet fully meeting the Best Tourism Villages criteria, are on a promising path and will benefit from guidance on improving their sustainability and tourism management practices.
The Best Tourism Villages Network: A Hub of Knowledge and Collaboration
The Best Tourism Villages Network is a vital platform that fosters collaboration among rural destinations. The network provides a space for village leaders, tourism professionals, and local stakeholders to exchange knowledge, share best practices, and collaborate on projects that strengthen rural tourism worldwide.
Villages within the network can access:
- Knowledge-sharing opportunities: Learning from the success stories of other villages, understanding innovative solutions, and applying them locally.
- Training and Capacity Building: Programs designed to improve skills in tourism management, sustainable practices, and heritage preservation.
- Global Recognition: Being part of this network opens doors to international markets, encouraging tourists to explore these hidden gems.
Conclusion: The Future of Rural Tourism
The Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism for 2025 highlight the diverse and vibrant rural destinations that have embraced tourism as a driver for positive change. By focusing on sustainability, cultural preservation, and social inclusion, these villages offer a glimpse into the future of rural tourism. They demonstrate that by harnessing the potential of tourism, rural areas can not only thrive economically but also preserve their natural and cultural heritage for future generations.
These villages, from Koyasan in Japan to Chamarel in Mauritius, show that rural tourism is not only about beautiful landscapes and cultural treasures, but it is also about empowering communities to create sustainable futures. As the Best Tourism Villages Network continues to grow, it will further promote the crucial role of tourism in rural development and encourage more communities around the world to join the movement toward a more sustainable and inclusive global tourism industry.
