Valeni Village in the Republic of Moldova awarded Best Tourism Village 2023 by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

During the twenty fifth General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Valeni – the village in the coronary heart of Moldova’s Lower Prut UNESCO Biosphere Reserve – was named one of the “Best Tourism Villages 2023” by the General Secretariat of UNWTO. Valeni was amongst 260 purposes from over 60 international locations that utilized for the world’s most prestigious award for rural tourism. This is the first time that the Republic of Moldova has been acknowledged as an esteemed vacationer vacation spot at this world competitors.

The third version of the worldwide UNWTO contest “Best Tourism Villages 2023” befell on October 18 throughout the twenty fifth General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The award “acknowledges villages which are main the approach in nurturing rural areas and preserving landscapes, cultural range, native values, and culinary traditions.” It is because of the spectacular outcomes of growing a high-quality vacationer providing centered on native cultural and pure heritage that put the Lower Prut River area of Moldova on the worldwide vacationer map. This contributed to the village of Valeni from Cahul district in southern Moldova being acknowledged throughout the General Assembly as one of the finest examples of rural tourism globally, thereby changing into a enterprise card for the Republic of Moldova that exemplifies the nation’s deal with sustainable tourism growth in rural areas.

​​​”Valeni is, beginning right now, one of the most engaging touristic villages worldwide! The distinction honors us as a rustic and represents extra proof of the extraordinary tourism potential of the Republic of Moldova. I want to congratulate the native public administration of Valeni village, in addition to its inhabitants, for the approach they selected to capitalize on the cultural and pure richness of the space. For the Ministry of Culture, it’s a precedence to advertise and capitalize on the tourism potential of our localities. Rural tourism is a brand new breath for the growth of villages in Moldova. Rural structure, traditions and hospitality of native communities can generate financial and social growth advantages. Thus, the recognition of Valeni village at the prestigious contest “Best Tourism Villages” involves assist native tradition and traditions that enhance the growth of rural tourism in the Republic of Moldova,” stated Minister of Culture Sergiu Prodan who attended the award ceremony along with Silvia Stirbet, a consultant of Valeni village.

This Best Villages 2023 is a UNWTO programme that fosters “growth and inclusion in rural areas, fight depopulation, advance innovation and worth chain integration by way of tourism and encourage sustainable practices.” The award and inclusion into the Best Tourism Villages Network is given in recognition of excellent examples of rural tourism locations with cultural heritage and pure sources that protect and promote rural and neighborhood values, product, and life with aclear dedication to sustainability and innovation in all elements. The choice course of assesses every village’s sources and initiatives in 9 areas overlaying the three pillars of sustainable growth, together with financial, social and environmental sustainability.

Recent tourism investments and developments in Moldova’s rural areas, with the strategic assist of USAID financed tasks, offered assist to attain the strenuous standards required by UNWTO Best Tourism Villages programme. In the previous few years, regardless of many crises in the area, the southern area of Moldova, particularly the village of Valeni has made large leaps in growing its distinctive tourism provide by diversifying its genuine tourism experiences that protect native traditions, crafts, tangible and intangible heritage, and pure landscapes. An instance of that is the latest growth of 4 biking routes by way of southern Moldova that mix the finest of native nature and tradition by taking cyclists by way of stunning landscapes in addition to rural villages to go to artisans, keep at native household guesthouses and revel in home-cooked conventional Moldovan dishes with substances sourced from native farms. The Lower Prut Nature Reserve that’s acknowledged as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve provides worth to the authenticity of Văleni village by providing guests immersive journey experiences, uniting communities and creating new sustainable enterprise alternatives in tourism.

Moldova promotes its rural tourism below the nationwide manufacturers “Tree of Life” & “Wine of Moldova” by supporting native and regional festivals and initiatives, selling genuine native merchandise and making a narrative of a village full of legends. Through strategic advertising actions on Moldova.Travel and its platforms, together with an immersive 360-degree digital tour web site, Moldova is changing into higher recognized internationally as a singular vacation spot recognized for its genuine hospitality and tradition that’s price visiting by vacationers from throughout the world.

Learn extra about the award-winning Valeni village in Moldova in this video and why it was chosen as a winner of Best Tourism Villages 2023.

Moldova Travel web site is a public-private partnership between the enterprise atmosphere in the discipline of inbound and home tourism, authorities, and growth companions. The new digital data useful resource opens the dialogue about Moldova as a vacationer vacation spot on worldwide markets, with a showcase of cultural and vacationer heritage and an efficient instrument for advertising and popularization of Moldova. The digital platform for selling the nation gives vacationers a variety of vacationer locations and experiences in the areas of Moldova, consists of 19 interactive digital excursions all through the nation, 25 attractively described vacationer routes, with maps and journey landmarks, together with oeno-tourist routes, birdwatching, biking and mountaineering itineraries, over 500 listed vacationer points of interest, in addition to helpful contacts for journey planning in the Republic of Moldova, all accessible in one place – on this digital portal.