London, UK - In the tranquil corners of our world, where timeless traditions intertwine with pristine landscapes, a powerful revival is underway. Villages, often forgotten in the wake of urbanisation, are defying the odds of depopulation by breathing new life into their communities through the power of tourism. Through the lens of three extraordinary examples — Batu Puteh, Alquézar and Lekunberri — we uncover the profound impact of the United Nations World Tourism Organization's (UNWTO) Best Tourism Villages initiative. These villages stand as beacons of hope, illustrating how the synergy between heritage, sustainability, and entrepreneurship can shape a brighter future for rural landscapes.

Batu Puteh - Building Resilience through Community-Based Ecotourism

Deep within the rainforests of Sarawak, Malaysia, lies the village of Batu Puteh—a testament to the power of community-based ecotourism in reversing the tide of depopulation. This village, once impacted by deforestation and the loss of traditional forest-based livelihoods, has emerged as an example of resilience and sustainability. By embracing community-based ecotourism, Batu Puteh has successfully harnessed its natural surroundings to drive economic growth while preserving its fragile ecosystem. Visitors actively participate in tree planting and forest restoration initiatives, making ecotourism a transformative and educational experience. Images available here.

Lekunberri - Where Tradition Meets Entrepreneurship

Nestled between the vibrant cities of Pamplona/Iruña and San Sebastián/Donostia in the Navarre region of Spain, Lekunberri defies the notion of rural decline. The village's commitment to sustainable tourism as a driver of economic growth and community empowerment has provided employment opportunities for the local population and invigorated the surrounding rural areas. Lekunberri has embraced digitalization to attract regional, national, and international visitors, expanding the reach of its tourism industry while enhancing the overall visitor experience. Images available here.

Alquézar - A Spanish Gem Embracing Cultural Heritage In the heart of Aragon, Spain.

Alquézar stands as a testament to the resilience of a community. The restoration of the village's medieval architecture and the preservation of traditional craftsmanship have not only revived its allure but also generated substantial economic growth and a growth in population. By leveraging its cultural assets, Alquézar has become a shining example of how tourism can contribute to sustainable development while preserving the soul of a village. Images available here.

The narratives of Alquézar, Batu Puteh, and Lekunberri provide a glimpse into the powerful role rural development can play in reversing depopulation trends while breathing new life into rural communities. Their success stories demonstrate how preserving cultural heritage, embracing ecotourism, and nurturing entrepreneurship are not just ideals, but viable pathways for economic growth, community empowerment and sustainable tourism.

The UNWTO's Best Tourism Villages initiative serves as example, inspiring governmentsorganizations and individuals to adopt similar strategies in rural areas worldwide. Through strategic partnerships, targeted investments, and knowledge sharing, we can unlock the economic, social, and environmental benefits that emerge when communities flourish.

About UNWTO’s Tourism for Rural Development Programme

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable, and universally accessible tourism. As part of this mission, the UNWTO launched the Tourism for Rural Development Programme to make tourism a driver of rural development and wellbeing. It is dedicated to leveraging the potential of tourism to drive sustainable development in rural areas worldwide and is driven by the belief that tourism can be a catalyst for positive change in rural areas. By supporting community-based tourism initiatives, capacity building, and destination management, the programme empowers local communities to actively participate in and benefit from tourism development.

A key component of UNWTO's Tourism for Rural Development Programme is the Best Tourism Village Initiative. This initiative recognizes and honours rural villages that stand out as outstanding examples of rural tourism destinations, with well-preserved and promoted cultural and natural assets that celebrate rural values, products, and lifestyle. The initiative also rewards villages that demonstrate a clear commitment to sustainability in all aspects – economic, social, and environmental – as they develop tourism as a driver of rural development and community well-being​. By highlighting exemplary village models, the initiative aims to inspire and guide other communities in their efforts to harness tourism as a tool for positive change. The programme had its first edition in 2021, followed by the second edition in 2022, and applications for the third edition in 2023 have now been closed. To date, the Best Tourism Programme encompasses a total of 76 villages across five regions and the broader Best Tourism Villages network consists of 116 villages.

The Best Tourism Villages initiative operates on three levels: the Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO, the Upgrade Programme, and the Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO Network. The Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO is given to villages that meet the stringent criteria set by the initiative, while the Upgrade Programme is designed to assist villages that do not fully meet the label criteria, providing them with support from the UNWTO and partners, to address areas identified as gaps in the evaluation process. The Network provides a platform for sharing experiences, best practices, and opportunities amongst the villages​.

UNWTO's Tourism for Rural Development Programme, together with the Best Tourism Village Initiative, provides a platform for collaboration, innovation, and sustainable tourism growth in rural areas. Through its comprehensive approach, the programme seeks to empower rural communities, support their economic development, and ensure the preservation of their unique heritage for generations to come.

For more information about the UNWTO’s Best Tourism Village initiative, visit https://www.unwto.org/tourism-villages.

About UN Tourism

The World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

As the leading international organization in the field of tourism, UN Tourism promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.

Our Priorities

Mainstreaming tourism in the global agenda: Advocating the value of tourism as a driver of socio-economic growth and development, its inclusion as a priority in national and international policies and the need to create a level playing field for the sector to develop and prosper.

Promoting sustainable tourism development: Supporting sustainable tourism policies and practices: policies which make optimal use of environmental resources, respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities and provide socio-economic benefits for all.

Fostering knowledge, education and capacity building: Supporting countries to assess and address their needs in education and training, as well as providing networks for knowledge creation and exchange.

Improving tourism competitiveness: Improving UN Tourism Members' competitiveness through knowledge creation and exchange, human resources development and the promotion of excellence in areas such as policy planning, statistics and market trends, sustainable tourism development, marketing and promotion, product development and risk and crisis management.

Advancing tourism's contribution to poverty reduction and development: Maximizing the contribution of tourism to poverty reduction and achieving the SDGs by making tourism work as a tool for development and promoting the inclusion of tourism in the development agenda.

Building partnerships: Engaging with the private sector, regional and local tourism organizations, academia and research institutions, civil society and the UN system to build a more sustainable, responsible and competitive tourism sector.

Our Structure

Members: An intergovernmental organization, UN Tourism has 160 Member States, 6 Associate Members, 2 Observers and over 500 Affiliate Members.

Organs: The General Assembly is the supreme organ of the Organization. The Executive Council take all measures, in consultation with the Secretary-General, for the implementation of the decisions and recommendations of the General Assembly and reports to the Assembly.

Secretariat: UN Tourism headquarters are based in Madrid, Spain. The Secretariat is led by the Secretary-General and organized into departments covering issues such as sustainability, education, tourism trends and marketing, sustainable development, statistics and the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA), destination management, ethics and risk and crisis management. The Technical Cooperation and Silk Road Department carries out development projects in over 100 countries worldwide, while the Regional Departments for Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and the Middle East serve as the link between UN Tourism and its 160 Member States. The Affiliate Members Department represents UN Tourism's 500 plus Affiliate members.