The historic village of Masouleh has missed its chance at global recognition. Due to its transition from village to city status, Masouleh is no longer eligible to be listed among the globally recognized villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Tourism experts believe this change means Masouleh will never again have a place on the UNWTO’s global stage.
The World Tourism Organization launched a global village registration initiative to combat rural depopulation and preserve cultural and historical heritage. In Iran, only around 130 villages have been identified as suitable for this recognition. Unfortunately, many villages have either become uninhabited or lost their traditional rural character due to modernization. Even exceptional villages like Masouleh have been excluded from this global platform after being reclassified as towns.
According to Tejarat News, less than fifty years ago—before Iran’s cities became industrialized and the idea of sustainable development began impacting both urban and rural areas—many Iranian villages held unique cultural and historical value. With proper preservation, each could have become a distinct tourist attraction.
Since 2021, the UNWTO has been working through its “Best Tourism Villages” initiative to reduce rural-to-urban migration, empower local communities—especially women and youth—and protect the cultural and natural heritage of villages. The goal has been to strengthen sustainable tourism by encouraging communities to maintain their cultural roots rather than relocate to urban centers. Sadly, Masouleh is no longer part of that vision.
Only about 130 villages in Iran still meet the basic criteria to be considered for global recognition under the UN World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) Best Tourism Villages program. Many others have either been abandoned or have lost their traditional rural character due to disorganized modernization. Even Masouleh—once a celebrated, terraced village and one of Iran’s most distinctive heritage sites—has lost its eligibility after being reclassified as a city. Tourism experts now believe Masouleh’s name will never again appear on the global platform of the UNWTO.
Hossein Baharvand, head of the Tourism Development and Attractions Department at Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, explains that the UNWTO launched the global registration of tourism villages in 2021. The initiative aims to promote villages as tourist destinations and turn tourism into a tool for economic growth. It also seeks to curb rural migration to cities, empower local communities—especially women and youth—and safeguard the cultural and natural heritage of villages, all within the framework of sustainable tourism.
According to Baharvand, the UNWTO has defined nine core criteria for recognizing a village on the global list. One of the most crucial is the protection and restoration of a village’s tangible and intangible cultural assets. Villages that actively preserve their heritage, restore historic elements, and pass traditions to future generations—through local events, festivals, and cultural ceremonies—stand a greater chance of earning a place on the list.
He also noted that being listed as a Best Tourism Village not only provides global visibility and international branding, but also grants the village a formal certificate and plaque from the UNWTO, the world’s top authority in tourism—an endorsement that can significantly boost its tourism potential.
Baharvand explains that villages included in the Best Tourism Villages list benefit from global visibility, as they are promoted by both the UN World Tourism Organization and official tourism ministries across various countries. These villages are placed on international tourism routes, gaining exposure to a wider network of travelers and industry stakeholders.
Beyond visibility, inclusion in the UNWTO’s global network offers villages access to annual training programs, knowledge-sharing initiatives, and collaborative opportunities with other member villages. These exchanges help strengthen local capacities and encourage innovation through real-world experiences.
He further notes that even villages recognized only at the national level receive support. These villages are granted funding and resources to improve their infrastructure, meet key tourism benchmarks, and enhance their tourism potential. Such support includes financial assistance for investment projects aimed at boosting both the quality and capacity of tourism services. Because of its importance, evaluating and developing rural destinations has become a core focus of the Domestic Tourism Department.
Baharvand emphasizes that around 130 villages in Iran have been identified as having the foundational capacity to enter the assessment process and be nominated as candidates for global recognition.
He adds that an expert evaluation team conducts the initial assessments. Villages that best meet the UNWTO’s global tourism criteria are then officially nominated for inclusion in the Best Tourism Villages list.
Baharvand highlighted several ongoing challenges in the rural sector, noting that many villages in Iran once had strong tourism potential but have undergone significant changes—particularly in their architectural fabric. “Unfortunately, a large number of villages have seen extensive renovations that have distanced them from their traditional rural identity,” he said.
He also pointed to migration as a major contributing factor. “Various issues—from climate challenges to economic pressures—have led to population decline in many rural areas. As a result, even though these villages had the capacity to become rural tourism destinations, their depopulation excluded them from global recognition opportunities.”
Baharvand mentioned the historic village of Masouleh as a prime example: “Some villages with outstanding potential have been reclassified as cities, making them ineligible for nomination. Masouleh, one of our most iconic terraced villages, used to be a strong candidate for the global list. However, in recent years, its status has changed to that of a city, meaning we can no longer propose it as part of the Best Tourism Villages program.”
He believes that gaining global recognition can have a transformative impact on rural communities. “Once a village is internationally registered, increased visibility, tourism traffic, and content creation can stimulate its local economy. Being added to inbound tour itineraries boosts revenue and slows down, or even reverses, rural migration. In fact, in some tourism-driven villages, former residents are returning, and new settlers from urban areas are moving in to invest and launch local businesses, driving further economic development.”
