In a significant achievement, Assam’s Sualkuchi has been honored as one of the best craft tourism villages in India, as announced by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, on September 27, 2024, coinciding with World Tourism Day.
The Best Tourism Villages Competition, aimed at promoting tourism in India’s villages, was introduced in 2023 to identify and recognize villages that preserve and promote cultural and natural assets through community-based values and sustainable practices.
In its inaugural edition in 2023, the competition attracted applications from 795 villages. This year, the second edition received an impressive 991 applications from 30 states and Union Territories, with 36 villages being recognized as winners across eight categories.
| S.No | Name | State / UT | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dhudmaras | Chhattisgarh | Adventure Tourism |
| 2 | Aru | Jammu & Kashmir | Adventure Tourism |
| 3 | Kuthlur | Karnataka | Adventure Tourism |
| 4 | Jakhol | Uttarakhand | Adventure Tourism |
| 6 | Kumarakom | Kerala | Agri Tourism |
| 7 | Karde | Maharashtra | Agri Tourism |
| 8 | Hansali | Punjab | Agri Tourism |
| 9 | Supi | Uttarakhand | Agri Tourism |
| 5 | Baranagar | West Bengal | Agri Tourism |
| 10 | Chitrakote | Chhattisgarh | Community Based Tourism |
| 11 | Minicoy Island | Lakshadweep | Community Based Tourism |
| 12 | Sialsuk | Mizoram | Community Based Tourism |
| 14 | Deomali | Rajasthan | Community Based Tourism |
| 13 | Alpana Gram | Tripura | Community Based Tourism |
| 15 | Sualkuchi | Assam | Craft |
| 17 | Pranpur | Madhya Pradesh | Craft |
| 18 | Umden | Meghalaya | Craft |
| 16 | Maniabandha | Odisha | Craft |
| 19 | Nirmal | Telangana | Craft |
| 20 | Hafeshwar | Gujarat | Heritage |
| 21 | Andro | Manipur | Heritage |
| 22 | Mawphlang | Meghalaya | Heritage |
| 23 | Keeladi | Tamil Nadu | Heritage |
| 24 | Pura Mahadev | Uttar Pradesh | Heritage |
| 25 | Dudhani | Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | Responsible Tourism |
| 26 | Kadalundi | Kerala | Responsible Tourism |
| 27 | Tar Village | Ladakh | Responsible Tourism |
| 28 | Sabarvani | Madhya Pradesh | Responsible Tourism |
| 29 | Ladpura Khas | Madhya Pradesh | Responsible Tourism |
| 34 | Ahobilam | Andhra Pradesh | Spiritual And Wellness |
| 30 | Bandora | Goa | Spiritual And Wellness |
| 31 | Rikhiapeeth | Jharkhand | Spiritual And Wellness |
| 32 | Melkalingam Patti | Tamil Nadu | Spiritual And Wellness |
| 33 | Somasila | Telangana | Spiritual And Wellness |
| 35 | Harsil | Uttarakhand | Vibrant Village |
| 36 | Gunji | Uttarakhand | Vibrant Village |