Page 161 - Ajman Department of Tourism, Culture and Media PR REPORT - OCTOBER 2025

10/20/25, 11:08 AM Ajman's Masfout Named ‘Best Tourist Village In The World’ By UN - Gulf Insider | Gulf Insider
The “World’s Best Tourist Village” award is one of the most prominent global initiatives
launched by the United Nations Tourism Organization in 2021. The award aims to honour and
encourage villages that represent an exceptional model of rural tourism destinations
committed to preserving their cultural and natural assets and promoting their community
values and traditional lifestyles.

The initiative is based on three main pillars. The first is the “World’s Best Tourist Village” award,
which honors villages that meet standards of excellence. The second pillar is the
“Development Program,” which is dedicated to providing support. For villages that did not
fully meet the criteria, the award will help them improve their performance. The third axis is
“Best Tourist Villages,” which provides a global platform for exchanging experiences and
knowledge between participating villages, experts, and partners from the public and private
sectors.

The UAE has presented a number of its distinguished villages in previous editions, such as
Hatta Village in 2021, and the villages of Shis and Qidfa in previous years.

The UAE’s Ministry of Economy and Tourism launched the fifth edition of the “World’s Coolest
Winter” campaign from Masfout last December, to highlight its natural and rural tourism
assets and shed light on its unique environmental and cultural diversity.

“We are keen to ensure that tourism in Masfout plays a role in improving the quality of life,
enhancing family stability, and supporting its economic aspects through the implementation
of diverse and innovative tourism activities,” said Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of
Economy and Tourism.

“This represents a historic crowning achievement for Emirati tourism, reinforcing its
prestigious position on the global tourism map, including rural and green tourism, and
represents international confirmation of the UAE’s leadership in sustainable tourism,” he
added.

“This win supports the objectives of pioneering national initiatives in the field of balanced
development, foremost among which is the “Emirates Villages” programme, which aims to
create a sustainable development model for Emirati villages, preserve their natural and
cultural heritage, and promote their leading tourist attractions and destinations, while
supporting sustainable development and innovative initiatives across the seven emirates,” he
said.

Held in Huzhou, China’s Zhejiang Province, Mahmoud Khalil Al Hashimi, director-general of
the Ajman Tourism Development Department, and Mohammed Al Ahbabi, director of the
Tourism Development Department at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, and the
accompanying delegation received the award.

“This award is a source of pride for us all, as Masfout joins a list of prominent global
destinations that blend modernity and authenticity, and reflect biodiversity, generous
hospitality, a rich heritage, and a profound cultural and civilisational legacy,” Al Nuaimi added.

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