Every year the illusion of many towns in the world that seek to enter the select list of UN Tourism called Best Tourism Villages and gain tourist momentum as “Best Tourist Village in the World”.
Argentina participates with the nomination of its candidates since the first edition of this program, in 2021.
This is why the Undersecretariat of Tourism of the Ministry of the Interior announced the release of the fourth edition for which he will present eight towns – candidates to represent Argentina. There is time to present candidates until April 7.
What are the Best Tourism Villages
Best Tourism Villages or Best Tourist Towns seeks to distinguish those “towns that are example of rural tourism destinations with recognized cultural and natural assets, which preserve and promote community-based values, products and lifestyles.”
It also aims to give recognition to destinations with “a clear commitment to sustainability in all its aspects: economic, social and environmental with the fundamental objective of making tourism one of the engines of positive transformation, rural development and community well-being.”
Which Argentine towns were chosen in the Best Tourism Villages
In the first edition of 2021Caspalá, a town in the province of Jujuy, was chosen as part of a list of 44 towns chosen from 32 countries.
In 2022, UN Tourism selected 32 towns from 18 countries. The three candidates that Argentina presented were Caviahue-Copahue (Neuquén), San Francisco de Alfarcito (Jujuy) and Trevelin (Chubut), which was not among the 32 chosen, but was part of the “Upgrade” program.
In 2023it was the turn of La Carolina, a town of 300 inhabitants located in the heart of the Central Sierras of San Luis.
What requirements must towns meet to be candidates for Best Tourism Villages?
To participate in this UN Tourism program you must meet three basic requirements:
- low demographic density and a maximum of 15,000 inhabitants;
- being in a landscape with traditional activities such as agriculture, forestry, livestock or fishing
- share the values and tourist lifestyle of the community
The Undersecretariat of Tourism will select the eight candidates that will represent Argentina and that will then be evaluated by UN Tourism.
“This initiative promotes the rural prosperity and well-beingsince it seeks to value and preserve the towns along with their landscapes, cultural and natural diversity,” said Yanina Martínez, Undersecretary of Tourism.
“It highlights the products and community lifestyles and encourages tourism as an engine of development and well-being with a commitment to sustainability,” he added.
- provinces can send more than one pre-candidacy.
- All applications must be submitted by the destination and have the endorsement of the province to which they belong
- The evaluation of the pre-candidacies will be carried out by a Committee of Experts
- Towns presented in previous calls and not selected may request support to consolidate their previous application.