Orhei District

Orhei demonstrates how UNESCO heritage can transform a rural district's economic trajectory. The Orheiul Vechi (Old Orhei) cultural and natural reserve—a dramatic limestone gorge containing medieval cave monasteries—has become Moldova's premier tourist attraction, drawing visitors from Romania, Poland, Czech Republic, and increasingly China. In the adjacent village of Butuceni, Eco-Resort Butuceni won both the World Food Travel Association's 2023 Best Agricultural Experience award and ITER VITIS Best Authentic Wine and Food Experience.

The DescOpera Classical Music Festival, held annually in Butuceni with Orheiul Vechi's gorge as natural amphitheater, exemplifies Moldova's cultural tourism ambitions. Moldova's tourism reached record levels in 2025: 480,700 visitors through travel agencies in January-September (+6.5% year-on-year), with domestic tourism surging 21.2% to 78,400 visitors. Total tourism revenues hit 4.2 billion lei (+10.3%), with inbound tourism revenue growing 33.3%.

The 'Tourism 2028' program targets increasing tourism's GDP contribution to 6.3%—and Orhei sits at the strategy's center. The National Tourism Office's Eko App, with augmented reality features and accessibility functions including sign language, specifically highlights Orheiul Vechi. For a district that might otherwise be another agricultural hinterland, UNESCO status and experiential tourism offerings have created niche differentiation that commands premium prices and international attention.