The Charentes region has just won a major international distinction, receiving the Best Regional Creative Tourism Strategy award at the 13th World Creative Tourism Awards for its initiative “Villages & Paysages” (“Villages & Landscapes”). This accolade not only celebrates the region’s innovative approach but also confirms its status as one of world’s pioneering programs in creative and regenerative tourism — positioning the Charentes as a model for territorial attractiveness and sustainable development.
Created in 2014 by the Creative Tourism Network®, the awards honour destinations that place creativity at the heart of their tourism strategy, offering authentic, participatory, and regenerative experiences that benefit local communities.
A Global Award in a Highly Competitive Landscape
For this 13th edition, the international jury evaluated 223 applications from 28 countries — a record that reflects the rapid rise of creative tourism worldwide.
Among internationally recognised destinations such as Barranquilla, the Vanilla Islands, Budapest, Cannes, Essaouira, Ljubljana, Jamaica, Barcelos, Tunisia, and Bangkok, the Charentes stood out for a strategy described as pioneering, structured, and deeply human.
A French Pioneer Becoming an International Model
The award highlights the Villages & Paysages network, which now brings together seventeen rural municipalities committed to showcasing craftsmanship, landscapes, and living culture through a collective, creative approach. This initiative is one of the first large‑scale programs to embed creative and regenerative tourism into regional development, making the Charentes a reference point for territories seeking to reinvent their attractiveness.
The jury particularly praised:
- The collaborative dynamic uniting artisans, residents, elected officials, and Charentes Tourisme.
- The quality of immersive experiences such as craft workshops, creator encounters, thematic trails, and sensory explorations.
- The active involvement of visitors, invited to become co‑creators of their experience.
- The sustainable, non‑relocatable nature of the project, grounded in transmission, proximity, and support for the local economy.
- The ability to bring together around thirty stakeholders around a shared vision.
According to Caroline Couret, President of the Creative Tourism Network®:
“Villages & Paysages is a pioneering global model, particularly relevant to France’s challenges of seasonality, attractiveness, and the promotion of local know‑how.”The remarkable diversity of participants and the wide range of project scales—from well‑established initiatives to emerging gems—prove that creativity is truly within everyone’s reach. It is inspiring to see how destinations worldwide are integrating creative tourism as a powerful engine for sustainable, regenerative, and virtuous development, while meeting travellers’ growing appetite for meaningful, authentic experiences.”
This global distinction confirms the Charentes’ position among the world’s most innovative destinations in creative tourism. By revealing the human, cultural, and environmental richness of its villages, celebrating local talent, and inviting visitors to create, meet, and share, the Charentes assert themselves as a vibrant, inspiring, and forward‑looking region—and a pioneering French model for creative and regenerative territorial development.
Creativity as a Universal Driver of Transformation
This recognition reflects a broader international movement driven by a strong conviction: creativity is a universal language capable of transforming territories in a lasting, inclusive way.
With the UN’s International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development in 2026, this recognition arrives at a pivotal moment, as new programmes in creative volunteering, training, and cooperation are set to expand worldwide.
