Each year, the United Nations releases its list of the best destinations around the world when it comes to spearheading rural tourism. For the average traveler, it’s a who’s-who list of hidden gems that haven’t landed in the spotlight. (Yet.)
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The goal behind the list is to highlight the potential power of tourism to elevate communities, enrich travelers, and help humanity transcend cultural, linguistic, and—of course—geographic boundaries.
2025’s list marks the fifth iteration of the best rural development tourism projects around the world, which includes 52 villages from 29 countries around the world. These locations have been added to the catalogue of the UN’s Best Tourism Villages mega-list.
Countries include: Spain, Turkey, Guatemala, Brazil, Italy, Japan, Slovenia, Argentina, Mauritius, China, Germany, Hungary, Iran, Croatia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Bosnia Herzegovina, Vietnam, UAE, Portugal, South Korea, Colombia, Israel, Jordan, Ecuador, Indonesia, France, Lithuania, and Switzerland.
The UN’s rubric for selecting the best rural destinations includes considerations for: cultural and natural resources, conservation, economic and social sustainability, environmental sustainability, prioritization of tourism, infrastructure, health, safety, and strategic alliances.
Check out the full list here.
