December 4, 2021 - UNWTO has included the Municipality of Kaštelir-Labinci in the Upgrade Program, which in its application showed a commitment to innovation and sustainability in the development of responsible and high-quality tourism.

The best examples of villages that accept tourism, provide opportunities, and encourage sustainable development were highlighted at the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Madrid. As a result, the UNWTO Best Tourist Villages Initiative was launched to enhance the role of tourism in protecting rural villages, along with their landscapes, natural and cultural diversity, and local values ​​and activities, including local gastronomy reports HRTurizam.

Forty-four villages from 32 countries in five world regions received recognition for 2021. They all stand out for their natural and cultural wealth and their innovative activities and commitment to the development of tourism following the goals of sustainable development.

This initiative recognizes those villages committed to making tourism a powerful driver of their development and well-being. An independent Advisory Board evaluated the villages based on a set of criteria covering nine areas:

- Cultural and natural resources
- Promotion and preservation of cultural resources
- Economic sustainability
- Social sustainability
- Environmental sustainability
- Tourism potential and value chain development and integration
- Management and prioritization of tourism
- Infrastructure and connectivity
- Health, safety, and security

All of the 44 selected villages scored a total of 80 or more points out of a possible 100. The best tourist villages of the UNWTO initiative include three pillars:

UNWTO Best Tourist Villages: The label will recognize a village that is an outstanding example of a rural tourism destination with recognized cultural and natural assets, that preserves and promotes rural and community-based values, products, and lifestyles, and has a clear commitment to innovation and sustainability in all its aspects - economic, social and environmental.
UNWTO “Best Tourist Villages” Upgrade Program: The upgrade program will benefit several villages that do not fully meet the label criteria. These villages will receive support from the UNWTO and its partners in improving elements of the area identified as gaps in the evaluation process.
UNWTO Best Tourist Villages Network: The network will provide a space to exchange experiences and good practices, learning, and opportunities. It will include representatives of villages awarded the “Best Tourist Village according to the UNWTO,” villages participating in the Upgrade Program, as well as experts, public and private sector partners involved in the promotion of tourism for rural development.

A total of 75 UNWTO member states nominated 174 villages (each member state could represent a maximum of three villages) for the 2021 pilot initiative. 20 villages. Among them, 44 have been declared the best tourist villages by the UNWTO, and another 20 villages will be included in the Upgrade Program.

Among others, the UNWTO has included the Municipality of Kaštelir-Labinci in the Upgrade Program, which in its application showed a commitment to innovation and sustainability in the development of responsible and high-quality tourism. The vision of the Municipality is the development of a recognizable destination, i.e., the development of indigenous rural tourism, which contributes to the coordinated development of agriculture and tourism, rich offer of various contents and events adapted to different target groups - nature lovers, active vacationers, recreationists, gourmands, weekenders, hunters.

All 64 villages are included in the UNWTO network of the best tourist villages. The next edition will open in February 2022.

List of best tourist villages according to UNWTO 2021:

Bekhovo, Russian Federation
Bkassine, Lebanon
Bojo, Philippines
Caspalá, Argentina
Castelo Rodrigo, Portugal
Cuetzalan del Progreso, Mexico
Cumeada, Portugal
Gruyères, Switzerland
Batu Puteh, Malaysia
Kaunertal, Austria
Le Morne, Mauritius
Lekunberri, Spain
Mani, Mexico
Misfat Al Abriyeen, Oman
Miyama, Japan
Mokra Gora, Serbia
Morella, Spain
Mustafapasha, Turkey
Nglangeran, Indonesia
Niseko, Japan
Village of Nkotsi, Rwanda
Old Great Harbor, Mauritius
Olergesailie, Kenya
Ollantaytambo, Peru
Pano Lefkara, Cyprus
Pizza, Chile
Pochampally, India
Puerto Williams, Chile
Radovljica, Slovenia
Rial Alma’a, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Testo Alto, Brazil
Saas Fee, Switzerland
San Cosme y Damián, Paraguay
San Ginesio, Italy
Sidi Kaouki, Morocco
Solčava, Slovenia
Soufli, Greece
Taraklı, Turkey
Purple Island, Republic of Korea
Ungok Village, Republic of Korea
Valposchiavo,  Switzerland
Wonchi, Ethiopia
Xidi, China
Yucun, China

In addition, the UNWTO will work with the following villages participating in the Upgrade Program:

Ordino, Andorra
Khinalig, Azerbaijan
Koprivshtitsa, Bulgaria
Kastelir Labinci, Croatia
Agros, Cyprus
Fuwah, Egypt
Western Samos, Greece
Hollókő, Hungary
Biei, Japan
Capulálpam de Méndez, Mexico
Years, Montenegro
Gornja Lastva, Montenegro
Oukaimeden, Morocco
Barangay Tenani, Philippines
Gasura, Rwanda
Gostilje, Serbia
Gorenja Vas, Slovenia
Cantavieja, Spain
Bo Suak, Thailand
Ruboni, Uganda

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

As Novac writes on the 10th of January, 2020, although there is no access to the sea, the municipality of Kastelir-Labinci in Istria has been seeing a real tourist boom in recent years. Last year, with a capacity of 2,050 beds in 431 types of tourist accommodation, it achieved as many as 90,000 overnight stays, marking an increase of 17 percent when compared to 2018. In addition, it recorded 9,500 tourist arrivals, equal to a jump of 20 percent in arrivals in 2019 compared to one year earlier.

Local portal Glas Istre writes that the reason for this boom in Kastelir-Labinci is in the new tourism development strategy for the period 2019 - 2025, adopted at the end of last year, which aims to double the tourist traffic in five years. Interesting summer events, which involve everything from culture to gastronomy to sport, are just some of the moves that prompted both the municipal administration and the local tourist board to approach the future development of tourism more thoughtfully and with more concrete plans.

One of the more important goals outlined in this strategy is the planned capacity increase of about one hundred beds per year, with the aim of increasing their occupancy to 70 days a year. This would increase the number of overnight stays at the end of the planning period from the current 90,000 to about 170,000, which is almost double, but it also wants to increase spending per night from the current 30 to 50 euros. The municipality of Kastelir-Labinci wishes to brand its tourist offer according to the principles of balanced development, which is sustainable and in harmony with nature, respecting ecological standards and with an emphasis on the authenticity of both the environment and what's in it, as well as ample food and beverage offers.

The strategy proposes a number of new types of touristic content that should increase the attractiveness of the tourist offer of the entire Kastelir-Labinci region, and some of the ideas are original in themselves on the wider Istrian regional scale. For example, the establishment of a botanical garden has been proposed, and there is even the possibility of a zoo with indigenous animals living there. These are just two of the things that could potentially be in the works for Kastelir-Labinci.

In addition, a number of trails are proposed to improve the area's cyclotourism, which has gained a lot of momentum with the establishment of a bike centre, and the desire is to improve the trekking offer or running trails through nature, as well as to arrange paths for go-karts for guests who might be adrenaline junkies.

The tourism development strategy also recommends the development of adventure and hunting tourism, followed by horse riding schools as part of health and rehabilitation tourism, and also with the possibility of equestrian sports. Excursion tourism is proposed to be further enriched by the construction of a system of observation points for the environment, and the authors of the strategy consider the area of ​​this municipality to be a convenient location for summer children's camps in a vegetatively rich and naturally diverse environment.

One of the highlights in the new proposals of Kastelir-Labinci's tourism strategy is the promotion of gastro-tourism.

A particular eno-gastronomic niche set out in the strategy is organic farming, that is, the supply of food and drink from organically produced foods. The offer of indigenous souvenirs is also something that is lacking in this area and should be developed with the incentive to open souvenir shops and themed boutiques.

Make sure to follow our dedicated travel page for more on Kastelir-Labinci and visiting Istria as a whole.