ZAGREB, 18 Oct (Hina) - The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) announced the winners of the Best Tourism Villages 2025 awards, and among the 52 villages recognised from all world regions was Kaštelir-Labinci, located in Istria County, this Croatian municipality reported on Saturday.
"In this fifth edition, 52 villages from all regions - Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East - received the recognition, selected from over 270 applications from 65 UN Tourism Member States," says the UNWTO.
The UN initiative, launched in 2021, celebrates villages that exemplify tourism’s role in promoting rural development while preserving landscapes, cultural diversity, local values, and culinary traditions.
The Best Tourism Villages 2025 awards were presented on 17 October in Huzhou, China.
Nine criteria
Candidate villages are assessed by an independent Advisory Board under nine areas of evaluation: Cultural and Natural Resources; Promotion and Conservation of Cultural Resources; Economic Sustainability; Social Sustainability; Environmental Sustainability; Tourism Development and Value Chain Integration; Governance and Prioritization of Tourism; Infrastructure and Connectivitty; and, Health, Safety, and Security
"Another 20 villages have joined the Upgrade Programme, with all 72 villages joining the Best Tourism Villages (BTV) Network. The BTV Network grows every year, and with the announcement of its 72 new members, 319 villages are now part of the largest community of rural destinations in the world," reads a statement on the UNWTO website.
Kaštelir-Labinci met the criteria for the four key elements back in 2021
Kaštelir-Labinci met the criteria for the four key elements back in 2021, when it joined the UNWTO’s Best Tourism Villages Upgrade Programme.
Since then, the municipality has undergone a development process under UNWTO mentorship, which included training, as well as the exchange of experiences and best practices.
Kaštelir-Labinci entered the Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO programme with a vision to develop as a distinctive destination known for its authentic rural tourism. The municipality emphasises the alignment of agricultural and tourism development as a foundation for growth, along with a rich variety of activities tailored to different target groups, the local authorities added.
In this Istrian municipality, more than half of the residents are engaged in some form of agricultural production, while its vibrant tourism offer -- centred on products from local family farms -- has become widely recognised, said Đulijano Petrović, Mayor of Kaštelir-Labinci.
The Director of the Kaštelir-Labinci Tourist Board, Linda Grebac, highlighted that behind the recognition and the municipality’s respectable global status lies a wealth of excellent ideas and dedicated effort to bring them
