You may have heard of Tokaj, a Hungarian wine with a golden hue, but you may be less familiar with the village that gave its name to this wine-growing region, whose landscapes have been declared a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Meanwhile, the village of Hakuba in the Nagano prefecture, in what are known as the Japanese Alps, has set itself the goal of becoming energy self-sufficient through the use of hydroelectric systems.
These are just two of the villages on the latest United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) list, recognised for maintaining authenticity while embracing innovative and sustainable practices.
Since 2021, the UNWTO has been dedicating this initiative to the development of tourism in rural areas that preserve and promote customs and traditions.
Based on sources including local tourist boards, the organisation selected 54 villages from 260 applications received this year, taking into account criteria including the conservation of cultural resources and the implementation of programmes for economic and social sustainability.
There are now 74 villages in the UNWTO Best Tourism Villages Network.
At a time when more and more cities and regions are adopting restrictive measures to regulate the number of tourists so the environment has time to regenerate, this label reaffirms the important role tourism represents both for a local economy and people’s livelihoods.
“Tourism can be a powerful force for inclusivity, empowering local communities and distributing benefits across regions,” UNWTO secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili explained. “This initiative acknowledges villages that have harnessed tourism as a catalyst for development and wellbeing.”
This list includes a number of good ideas for future getaways, such as a visit to the Vietnamese village of Tân Hoá, located in the north between Hanoi and Hué.
Sadly very familiar with repeated flooding, the location touts a floating house project, designed to help the local population adapt to climatic conditions marked by surrounding mountains and virgin forests.
In concrete terms, the wooden buildings are supported by a system of plastic floats, so the inhabitants can endure the rainy season without fearing for their lives or livelihoods.
While agriculture has long been their main source of income, the integration of Tân Hoá into tourist circuits from 2011 has enabled the population to increase their income by, for instance, offering travellers visits to the Tu Làn cave and the Lim forest.
Here is the list of the 54 best villages of the year designated by the UNWTO, in alphabetical order:
- Al Sela, Jordan
- Barrancas, Chile
- Biei, Japan
- Caleta Tortel, Chile
- Cantavieja, Spain
- Chacas, Peru
- Chavín de Huántar, Peru
- Dahshour, Egypt
- Dhordo, India
- Dongbaek, Republic of Korea
- Douma, Lebanon
- Ericeira, Portugal
- Filandia, Colombia
- Hakuba, Japan
- Higueras, Mexico
- Huangling, China
- Jalpa de Canovas, Mexico
- Kandovan, Iran
- La Carolina, Argentina
- Lephis Village, EthiopiaLerici, Italy
- Manteigas, Portugal
- Morcote, Switzerland
- Mosan, Republic of Korea
- Oku-Matsushima, Japan
- Omitlán de Juárez, Mexico
- Oñati, Spain
- Ordino, Andorra
- Oyacachi, Ecuador
- Paucartambo, Peru
- Penglipuran, Indonesia
- Pisco Elqui, Chile
- Pozuzo, Peru
- Saint-Ursanne, Switzerland
- Saty, Kazakhstan
- Schladming, Austria
- Sehwa, Republic of Korea
- Sentob, Uzbekistan
- Shirakawa, Japan
- Sigüenza, Spain
- Şirince, Turkiye
- Siwa, Egypt
- Slunj, Croatia
- Sortelha, Portugal
- St Anton am Arlberg, Austria
- Tân Hoá, Viet Nam
- Taquile, Peru
- Tokaj, Hungary
- Văleni, Moldavia
- Vila da Madalena, Portugal
- Xiajiang, China
- Zapatoca, Colombia
- Zhagana, China
- Zhujiawan, China