Seven villages in China have been honored as “Best Tourism Villages” in this year’s selection by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The announcement was made by China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The new additions, revealed during a UN Tourism meeting held on Friday in Cartagena, Colombia (Beijing time), bring the total number of Chinese villages recognized with this title to 15. This achievement makes China the country with the highest number of villages holding the “Best Tourism Villages” designation.
The selected villages are as follows: Azheke Village in Yunnan, Guanyang Village in Fujian, Shibadong Village in Hunan, Taoping Village in Sichuan, Xiaogang Village in Anhui, Xitou Village in Zhejiang, and Yandunjiao Village in Shandong. Spanning the eastern, central, and western regions of the country, these villages are highly representative in terms of geography, culture, and development models, showcasing the remarkable achievements of rural tourism development in China. For instance, Azheke Village in Yunnan, located in the heart of the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has adopted a unique approach to tourism development. Villagers have contributed resources such as terraces, houses, and traditional ways of life to create a model of collective participation and shared prosperity.
To promote rural tourism, UNWTO launched the “Best Tourism Villages” initiative in 2021, recognizing villages worldwide that excel in nurturing rural areas, preserving landscapes, fostering cultural diversity, and maintaining local values and culinary traditions.