UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili addresses the award ceremony of the Best Tourism Villages 2025 in Huzhou city, East China's Zhejiang province, on Oct 17, 2025. [Photo by Zhang Jian/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Four villages in China were honored as Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) at an award ceremony held in Huzhou city, East China's Zhejiang province, on Friday.

The villages awarded were Huanggang in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture of Guizhou province; Jikayi in the Garze Tibetan autonomous prefecture of Sichuan province; Dongluo in Taizhou city of Jiangsu province; and Digang in Huzhou city of Zhejiang province.

Launched in 2021, the Best Tourism Villages initiative by UN Tourism honors rural destinations around the world that are leading the way in preserving landscapes, cultural diversity, local values and culinary traditions. So far, 236 villages from 57 countries have been recognized as Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism.

With the latest additions, China now boasts 19 villages included in the global list.

"The 19 Best Tourism Villages that China has, show the readiness and diversity of Chinese villages as destinations," UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said. "All of them have unique cultures and traditions."

From the mountain valleys of Southwest China to the water towns of the Yangtze River Delta, the four newly awarded villages highlight the country's diverse natural landscapes and rich cultural heritage, reflecting the vitality of China's rural revitalization efforts.

Pololikashvili emphasized that the most important goal of creating the Best Tourism Villages initiative is poverty alleviation. "About 80 percent of the world's poor live in the rural areas," he said. "By recognizing villages as tourist destinations, this program creates job opportunities and helps families in rural communities increase income."

He also pointed out that the Best Tourism Village title is not merely a recognition for the winning village, it also motivates the local government to support the destination's growth by upgrading its infrastructure.

UN Tourism provides follow-up education to empower the awarded rural communities, and it has created the Best Tourism Village Network to promote peer-to-peer learning and experience exchange, Pololikashvili added.

Huanggang in Guizhou province.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

With over 800 years of history, Huanggang is known for its well-preserved Dong-style stilted wooden houses.

The "dongzu dage" (Grand song of the Dong ethnic group), a UNESCO-listed intangible cultural heritage, has been passed down through generations.

By blending traditional practices with modern tourism, the village showcases how cultural preservation and sustainable development can go hand in hand.