Rural localities in the Republic of Moldova have the opportunity to gain international recognition by participating in the Best Tourism Villages 2025 competition launched by UN Tourism. The competition, organized at national level by the National Tourism Office with the support of the Ministry of Culture, aims to promote rural tourism as a factor of economic growth, sustainability and preservation of cultural heritage.
According to the National Tourist Office, the selected villages will benefit from international recognition as top tourist destinations, support in the preservation of cultural and natural heritage, access to global networks and exchange of experience with other tourist villages, as well as the possibility to receive advice and improvements through the Upgrade Programme.
The application documents are available online. An Advisory Board, made up of international experts, will review the applications against nine key criteria, including heritage conservation, economic, social and environmental sustainability, infrastructure and the role of tourism in local development.
In 2023, Văleni was designated one of the best tourist villages in the world, at the proposal of the Ministry of Culture and the Văleni City Hall.