The purpose of the study was to present innovative solutions in rural tourism. Particular emphasis was paid on thematic villages. It shows their development in Poland, the regional differences in the pace of the spread of this complex innovative tourism product, its importance in tourism and the activation and integration of rural communities. It shows the ratio of rural population to innovative solutions in rural tourism and their assessment of the involvement of local authorities for the development of tourism. The paper also presents barriers to the development of this form of tourism and ways to overcome these barriers. In this study selected items of literature, Internet sources and the results of empirical research conducted in 2015 using the method of diagnostic survey among the residents of the village Lublin province.