The villages of Kolochava and Synevyrska Polyana, located in Transcarpathia, were included in the list of the best tourist villages in the world in 2025 according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). This is stated in the rating published on the organization’s website.
In total, 52 villages from Africa, America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East were included in the list this year. 270 settlements from 65 countries competed for the title of the best tourist villages.
The candidates were evaluated according to nine criteria. In particular, they considered:
- natural resources;
- promotion and preservation of culture;
- economic sustainability;
- social sustainability;
- ecology;
- tourism development;
- tourism management and prioritization;
- infrastructure;
- health, safety, and security.
In addition to Kolochava and Synevyrska Polyana, the list of 52 best tourist villages according to the UN includes Agaete in Spain, Koyasan in Japan, Valendas in Switzerland, and Pemuteran in Indonesia.
Another 20 villages have joined the renewal program – an initiative for settlements that have high potential for sustainable tourism development, but have not yet made it to the main list.
All 72 villages have joined the Best Tourist Villages Network (BTV), which currently unites 319 settlements.
