21 villages in Cordillera to compete for Best Tourism Village 2025

Baguio City, Philippines – A wave of excitement is sweeping through the highlands of Cordillera as 21 tourism villages enter the quest for Best Tourism Village 2025, a flagship initiative led by the Department of Tourism in the region.

Now on its fourth run, the program has become more than just a competition but a movement to recognize and elevate local communities embodying the best their area has to offer. It is a celebration of cultural pride and local innovation.

Following the launch on February 12, applications for this year’s edition were accepted until April 12. Of all the submissions, 21 villages met the requirements as assessed by the search committee.

Participating Tourism Villages

Mountain Province has the most number of qualified villages with a total of 13 entries, namely GAFA-Paracelis Slow Food Village & Agri-tourism Farm, Mababbalin Bunot Bee Farm Tourism Village, and Anonat Sustainable Tourism Village in Paracelis; and Bayyo Tourism Village, Alab Oriente Tourism Village, and Maligcong Tourism Village in Bontoc.

Additional entries from the same province are Napua Tourism Village and Losad Tourism Village in Sabangan; Maudan Green Trails, Otucan Tourism Village, and Guinzadan Weavers Village in Bauko; and Kadaclan Cluster Tourism Village and Lias Village in Barlig.

Also among those that are up for the challenge include the Daguiman Village in Daguiman, Abra; Butao Village in Calanasan, Apayao; Tawang Tourism Village in La Trinidad and La-Diyang Haven Community in Tuba, Benguet; Panubtuban, Haliap, Amduntog, Antipolo (PHAA) Cluster Village, and Kiangan’s Open Air Museum Village in Ifugao; and Cagaluan Community Village in Pasil and Balbalasang Eco Village in Balbalan, Kalinga.

Judging and Prizes

Earlier in May, DOT–Cordillera’s evaluation team began visiting participating villages, gathering insights, and assessing their tourism practices, attractions, and community involvement.

From the initial round, the Top 10 out of the 21 villages will be shortlisted and will advance to the final stage of judging. A panel of tourism experts and cultural leaders will assess which community best embodies the principles of sustainability, cultural preservation and inclusive growth.

At stake is not just the title but a recognition that can improve the social and economic aspects of the communities.

The winner will have a P1 million cash prize. The second and third placers will win P500,000 and P200,000 cash prizes, respectively, and three runners-up will each receive P100,000. The prizes are to be utilized to further enhance the villages’ tourism services.

In recent years, the Cordillera region has become an example of how tourism can empower entire communities and be a catalyst for positive change.