18.10.2025 15:16
The Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, announced that four villages from Turkey are included in the "Best Tourism Villages 2025" list announced by the UN World Tourism Organization. The villages of Akyaka in Muğla, Barbaros in İzmir, Anıtlı in Mardin, and Kaleüçağız in Antalya were recognized for their natural beauty and sustainable tourism approaches.
The Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, announced that 4 villages from Turkey are included in the "Best Tourism Villages 2025" list announced by the United Nations (UN) World Tourism Organization.
4 VILLAGES FROM TURKEY ON THE LIST
In a statement made on his social media account, Ersoy noted that the villages of Akyaka from Muğla, Barbaros from İzmir, Anıtlı from Mardin, and Kale Üçağız from Antalya are recognized as some of the best tourism destinations in the world due to their natural beauties, rich cultures, and sustainable tourism approaches.
"WE WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP RURAL TOURISM"
Emphasizing that 4 villages from Turkey are among the best in the world, Ersoy stated:
"These villages, which stand out with their natural beauties, rich cultures, and sustainable tourism approaches, introduce the richness of Anatolia to the world. We see tourism not only as an economic activity but also as a force that preserves our cultural heritage, supports local development, and centers on people. With this understanding, we will continue to develop rural tourism across our country, keep local values alive, and share them with the world. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this success and our EU and Foreign Relations Department for meticulously managing the process."
52 VILLAGES SELECTED WORLDWIDE
According to a statement from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, within the framework of the "Best Tourism Villages" initiative organized for the fifth time by the UN World Tourism Organization, 52 villages from 29 countries were awarded.
The selected villages were evaluated based on criteria such as the preservation of cultural heritage, sustainable use of natural resources, and the contribution of tourism to local development, among more than 270 applications from Africa, America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
The list was announced at a ceremony held in Huzhou, China. Additionally, 20 villages were included in the "Upgrade Program" to receive support for potentially earning the title of "Best Tourism Village" in the future.
With the new list, the number of villages participating in the "Best Tourism Villages Network" has reached 319.
The UN World Tourism Organization announced that applications for the 6th edition of the "Best Tourism Villages" initiative will begin in the first quarter of 2026.