The “Best Tourism Villages 2025” ceremony and the Third Annual Network Meeting were held in Huzhou, China, organized by UN Tourism.
The event aimed to announce the names of villages that have made significant contributions to rural tourism development and serve as examples in sustainability and cultural heritage preservation. It also brought together representatives of the recognized villages to exchange experiences and discuss future directions.
Khinalig village was nominated from Azerbaijan for the UN Tourism’s “Best Tourism Villages” competition. The main goal of this initiative is to identify outstanding examples of rural tourism development, as well as villages that have preserved their uniqueness and cultural-historical heritage over the centuries while meeting the demands of modern tourism.
As a result of the competition, Khinalig village was included in the UN Tourism’s “Best Tourism Villages” list. This recognition is a clear indicator that Khinalig is not only a national but also an international tourism and cultural heritage destination. It will play an important role in promoting Khinalig globally, increasing tourist inflow, and improving the well-being of the local community.
At the ceremony, the Secretary-General of UN Tourism, Zurab Pololikashvili, presented the award to Murad Aghabeyli, CEO of the Reserves Management Center under the State Tourism Agency.
It should be noted that the prestigious “Best Tourism Villages” program implemented by UN Tourism recognizes villages that contribute to sustainable tourism by preserving cultural, natural, and social values in rural development. To date, 180 villages across nearly 60 countries have earned this title. It is a source of pride that, for the first time, one of Azerbaijan’s oldest settlements — Khinalig — has been included in this distinguished list.
With a history of more than five thousand years, the Khinalig phenomenon is not only one of the richest ethnographic treasures of Azerbaijan but also a legendary human settlement of global significance. On September 4, 2023, by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the “Khinalig and the Köç Yolu” State Historical, Cultural, and Ethnographic Reserve was established under the State Tourism Agency.
On September 18, 2023, the “The Cultural Landscape of Khinalig people and the “Köç Yolu” Transhumance Route” nomination area of Azerbaijan was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List during the 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The nomination file was prepared by the State Tourism Agency in 2021.
The inclusion of the reserve in the UNESCO World Heritage List has not only brought international recognition to Khinalig’s millennia-old history, rich cultural traditions, and unique living environment but also introduced special commitments for its preservation. The State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan has implemented various projects aimed at safeguarding Khinalig’s cultural and historical values and improving the living standards of the local community. Since 2020, 42 residential houses in the village have been restored, while project and estimate documentation for the restoration of 33 other structures has been completed. In addition, tourism infrastructure improvements continue — parking areas and sanitary facilities for visitors have been constructed and put into operation. Local residents have been actively involved in restoration and improvement works, thereby creating new employment opportunities.
Khinalig’s attainment of the international “Best Tourism Village” status will significantly contribute to the development of new tourism services and products in the area. This global recognition further promotes Azerbaijan’s tourism potential on the world stage.
