Brazil: Belo Horizonte’s Creative Tourism Distinguished with a Global Award!

Belo Horizonte emerges as one of the major highlights of the 13th World Creative Tourism Awards, receiving the distinction of Best Urban Creative Tourism Strategy for its innovative initiative Menuuh! Experiências Turísticas. This recognition positions the Brazilian capital of gastronomy among the world’s leading destinations in creative, sustainable, and community‑rooted tourism.

Belo Horizonte’s Award-Winning Strategy

The award celebrates the strategic partnership between Belotur and Sebrae Minas, whose collaboration has driven the co‑creation of a more hands‑on and participatory tourism experience in Belo Horizonte.

Through the Menuuh! project, visitors and residents can explore the city through 18 curated creative experiences, developed using the Acelera Check‑in Turismo methodology.

These experiences highlight Belo Horizonte’s rich gastronomy, heritage, crafts, visual arts, and music, reinforcing the city’s identity and its designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

The jury praised the project’s strong community anchoring, particularly in territories such as Aglomerado da Serra and Mercado Novo, where local producers, artisans, and cultural leaders play a central role. By empowering residents as hosts and guardians of intangible heritage, Menuuh! fosters meaningful cultural exchange and generates sustainable economic opportunities.

Caroline Couret, President of the Creative Tourism Network®, emphasized that

” Menuuh! “values the city’s identity by linking traditions with contemporary scenes, supporting the local creative economy and strengthening Belo Horizonte’s appeal nationally and internationally.”

A Global Context: Creative Tourism on the Rise

Belo Horizonte’s distinction is part of a record‑breaking edition of the World Creative Tourism Awards, which received 223 applications from 28 countries.

Created in 2014 by the Creative Tourism Network®, the awards honor destinations and projects that place creativity, sustainability, and community participation at the heart of their tourism strategies.

This year’s winners reflect the diversity and vitality of creative tourism worldwide, with recognitions spanning destinations such as Barranquilla, the Vanilla Islands, Budapest, Cannes, Essaouira, Ljubljana, Bangkok, Turin, Barcelos, and Tunisia, as well as rural territories like Charentes—each celebrated for their own innovative approaches to culture‑based, community‑driven tourism.

This edition was also marked by a significant milestone through a special partnership with Transcultura, a programme implemented by UNESCO and funded by the European Union. As part of this collaboration, the Creative Tourism Network® launched the Caribbean Creative Tourism Awards, created to highlight the richness and diversity of the region’s creative and sustainable ecosystems.

Eduardo Cruvinel, President of Belotur, expressed the city’s pride:

“This recognition reinforces Belotur and Sebrae Minas’ commitment to innovation, valuing local identity, and strengthening the creative economy. Menuuh! demonstrates that it is possible to transform tourism into an authentic, participatory, and inclusive experience.”

A Model for the Future of Tourism

The award‑winning initiatives collectively embody a tourism model that is adaptable, resilient, and aligned with contemporary expectations. They promote authenticity through local culture, innovation through creative engagement, sustainability through long‑term community benefits, and co‑creation involving residents and visitors. This approach enriches the visitor experience while strengthening local economies and cultural ecosystems.

Global Recognition and New Opportunities

Beyond the honor of the award, winners gain international visibility through the Creative Tourism Network® and access to collaborations, synergies, and strategic partnerships with global institutions. This recognition often becomes a catalyst for new opportunities, amplifying the positive impact of creative tourism worldwide.

A Network Leading the Way

Internationally recognized for its commitment to innovative and responsible tourism, the Creative Tourism Network® continues to champion models that are both creatively enriching and socially empowering. Founded in 2010 with the support of the European Union, the Creative Tourism Network® collaborates with UNESCO, UN Tourism, and numerous national ministries. Its mission is to strengthen the visibility and impact of creative tourism, support local entrepreneurship, and ensure that communities directly benefit from tourism.

In the context of the UN’s International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development (2026), the Network will launch new creative volunteering programs, training initiatives, and collaborative projects designed to amplify tourism’s social and cultural impact.