As a year of travel that was marked largely by overtourism protests in Barcelona, Oaxaca and Venice draws to a close, the appeal of offbeat vacations continues to grow. To wit, consider these spots you've likely never heard of: secluded Graciosa Island on the Azores, the remote fishing village Roches Noires in northeastern Mauritius, or mountainous Wukirsari, Indonesia, 270 miles east of Jakarta. They're among the 55 small, rural escapes around the world that earned a spot in the 2024 edition of UN Tourism's “Best Tourism Villages.
” The list of winning destinations, previewed exclusively by Bloomberg News, was released on Nov. 14 at the organization's Executive Council meeting in Cartagena, Colombia. The initiative, started in 2021, aims to raise awareness of lesser-known places worth visiting—and also reward responsible tourism management.
Put simply, these destinations are using visitation funds in a way that boosts their cultural practices, preserves biodiversity and improves quality of life for locals. Each village also counts fewer than 15,000 inhabitants and maintains traditional activities such as agriculture and fishing. “The Best Tourism Villages initiative not only recognizes the remarkable achievements of these villages but also highlights the transformative power of tourism,” says UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.
Among this year's worthy escapes are rural villages in Panama and Guatemala, two countries appearing on the list for the firs.
