For Plateliai, a Best Tourism Village recognized in 2025, in Lithuania, and Bled, recognized in 2025 as a Best Tourism Village in Slovenia, the connection began with nature. Both villages are shaped by iconic lakes, surrounded by protected landscapes and united by the belief that tourism should preserve local identity while creating opportunities for local…
Telling the Story of Ecuador Through Food How gastronomy, biodiversity, and rural communities are shaping a more sustainable future for tourism. Introduction My vision has always been simple: to tell the story of Ecuador through its food. As a chef, I have never seen gastronomy as simply what happens in a restaurant. Food is one…
Following the Taste Trail Home There is a particular hour on a Friday morning when the fish market in Manama is at its loudest – ice being shoveled, crates dragged across wet floor, someone shouting the price of a catch that came in an hour ago. I have been going to markets like this one…
The Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism Network organized another session of its Village Talks series on 30 April 2026, bringing together inspiring rural destinations and tourism experts to explore an increasingly important question: how can tourism help regenerate natural sites rather than simply protect them? As tourism continues to grow across rural destinations worldwide,…
Perched along a ridge overlooking the Sibillini Mountains, San Ginesio has for centuries embodied a unique dialogue between architecture and community life. Here, ancient walls are not merely defensive structures, but repositories of shared memory. Its piazzas are not simply public spaces, but places of encounter, celebration, and collective identity. That is why, when the…
In the vast, shimmering landscape of Gujarat’s Great Rann of Kutch, the village of Dhordo has emerged as a powerful example of how heritage, community resilience and responsible tourism can together create a destination of global significance. In 2023, Dhordo received the distinguished recognition of Best Tourism Village from the United Nations World Tourism Organization—an…
Since its launch in 2021, Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism attracted more than 1,000 applications from 100 countries. Today, the Network brings together 319 rural destinations worldwide, including more than 230 villages recognized as Best Tourism Villages and 83 taking part in the Upgrade Programme, representing a total of 65 countries across five world…
There are places that quietly leave a mark on you, not because they try to impress, but because they remain deeply, unapologetically themselves. For me, Krupa na Vrbasu was always one of those places. Nestled along the emerald waters of the Vrbas River, just outside Banja Luka in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Krupa na Vrbasu has…
Rural tourism in Argentina has undergone a profound transformation. In the early 20th century, it was oriented towards a public that visited large estancias, where rural life was almost a staged experience. Over time, this perspective evolved: it became clear that tourism in rural environments can diversify local economies, strengthen community identity, and enhance the…
Developed under the Tourism for Rural Development Programme, the two online courses — focusing on “Product Development and Marketing for Rural Areas” and “Design Thinking for Rural Tourism Development” — are now live and available free of charge in both English and Spanish. Designed to be practical, accessible, user friendly, the MOOCs will equip those…