Madrid/New Delhi, November 10, 2025
In a vibrant celebration of rural resilience and sustainable wanderlust, UN Tourism unveiled its fifth annual 'Best Tourism Villages 2025' list on October 17, spotlighting 52 enchanting hamlets across 29 countries that are redefining tourism as a force for cultural preservation and economic upliftment. Announced amid a glittering ceremony in Huzhou City, China, the roster—from Spain's sun-kissed Agaete to Japan's serene Koyasan—champions communities blending age-old traditions with eco-conscious innovation. Yet, for the first time since the program's inception in 2021, India finds itself conspicuously absent, prompting soul-searching in New Delhi's tourism corridors and vows to reclaim its spot in 2026.
The initiative, a flagship under UN Tourism's Rural Development Programme, isn't just a pat on the back for pretty villages; it's a blueprint for harnessing tourism to combat rural depopulation, biodiversity loss, and inequality. "These villages are beacons of hope, proving that tourism can be a catalyst for inclusive growth without eroding the soul of rural life," said UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili during the reveal. Selected from over 270 applications by 65 member states, the honorees were vetted by an independent Advisory Board on nine rigorous pillars: from safeguarding cultural and natural treasures to bolstering infrastructure, governance, and community health. Standouts include Slovenia's postcard-perfect Bled, famed for its alpine lake and cream cake lore; Indonesia's Pemuteran, a diver's paradise pioneering coral reef restoration; and Argentina's Carlos Pellegrini, where Iberá Wetlands teem with caimans and capybaras under indigenous stewardship.
The full alphabetical lineup reads like a global escape itinerary: 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 and Herzegovina), Loriga (Portugal), Lô Lô Chải (Viet Nam), 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 (Viet Nam), Shafiabad (Iran), Shodoshima (Japan), Soheili (Iran), Synevyrska Polyana (Ukraine), Tonosho (Japan), Valendas (Switzerland), Vila Nogueira de Azeitão (Portugal), and Yangsuri (Republic of Korea). Europe leads with 15 entries, followed by Asia (14) and the Americas (10), underscoring a shift toward hyper-local, low-impact travel in a post-pandemic world.
India's omission stings, especially after its trailblazing turns: Pochampalli in Telangana snagged a 2021 nod for its handloom legacy, while Dhordo (Gujarat) and Shergaon (Arunachal Pradesh, silver category) shone in 2023, drawing eco-tourists to Rann of Kutch's white sands and Eastern Himalayas' whistling villages. "We're not deterred; this is a wake-up call to sharpen our applications," asserted a senior official from India's Ministry of Tourism, speaking anonymously to Outlook Traveller. Speculation swirls around procedural hiccups—rumors suggest the ministry, amid a domestic revamp of its own 'Best Tourism Village' awards, submitted an incomplete slate or prioritized internal finalists over global bids. The 2024-25 Ministry Annual Report, however, reaffirms commitment, touting the UN program as a "key avenue" for showcasing sustainability in places like Kongthong (Meghalaya), the 'singing village' famed for oral lullabies.
Undaunted, India is gearing up for a robust 2026 push. The next call for entries opens in Q1, and tourism insiders buzz about frontrunners: Mawlynnong (Meghalaya), Asia's cleanest village with living root bridges; or Orchha (Madhya Pradesh), a Mughal-era gem blending forts and folk arts. Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, in a recent address, pledged Rs 500 crore for rural tourism circuits, emphasizing homestays and artisan cooperatives to meet UN criteria head-on. "Our villages are living museums of diversity— from Ladakh's prayer flags to Kerala's backwaters. We'll ensure they echo globally next year," he declared at a Delhi conclave.
Globally, the list's ripple effects are profound: The Best Tourism Villages Network now spans 319 members, fostering peer-to-peer exchanges on everything from zero-waste festivals to agro-tourism models. For travelers, it's a nudge toward offbeat odysseys—think stargazing in Iran's Shafiabad or rafting Bosnia's Vrbas River—over Instagram-saturated spots. As climate woes and overtourism bite, initiatives like this underscore tourism's pivot: not just visiting places, but investing in them.
For India, the snub is a chapter, not the story's end. With inbound arrivals projected to hit 10.5 million in 2025—buoyed by visa easements and heritage corridors—the nation eyes rural revival as its next big draw. As Pololikashvili put it: "These villages remind us that the best journeys start where the map ends." In India's heartland, that map is being redrawn, one village at a time.
For More News Updates Follow Us On Www.tconews.in
