Working to Build a Top-notch International Mountain Tourism Destination and Domestic Wellness Tourism Center
On 18 August, the 2022 Asian Mountain Tourism Promotion Conference on Amity, Sincerity, Mutual Benefit, Inclusiveness, Cooperation, and Sharing —— Jointly Building a New Future for Asian Mountain Tourism was officially launched in Guiyang, Guizhou province. During the opening ceremony, Guizhou provincial party committee member and the minister for the Publicity Department, Lu Yongzheng, delivered a speech.
Here is the full speech:
Against the special backdrop of COVID-19 prevention and control in the international community, we announced the opening of the 2022 Asian Mountain Tourism Promotion Conference as a move to implement the plan of promoting Asian tourism development in an innovative manner and practically enhance cultural exchanges and establish the Asian community with a shared destiny. On behalf of the Guizhou provincial committee and the Guizhou government, I would like to extend my warm welcome to all guests, both online and offline, and to our dear old and new friends who are committed to mountain tourism development.
Sitting in the eastern part of Asia and the southwestern region of China, Guizhou is a typical mountain province with a large part of its terrain covered with mountains, reflecting a vigorous and legendary characteristic. Guizhou is renowned for its mountains. With 92.5% of its land covered with mountains and hills, it is known as the “Green Karst Kingdom,” with numerous mountains, rivers, waterfalls, and lakes. The Chinese poet Meng Jiao in Dynasty Tang once said that half of the world’s mountains could be found in Guizhou province. Surrounding the ocean of mountains and clouds allows one to experience the overwhelming emotion of standing on the top and nurturing their broad minds. The mountains have made Guizhou a place with relatively cool temperatures, with its average temperature in summer at 23.6&4u:2103. With 62.12% of forest coverage, over 98% of days with good air quality in cities at and above the prefectural level, and a high level of negative oxygen ions at the altitude of 1100 meters, this natural air-conditioner, and oxygen bar is recognized as the best provincial summer resort in China. After being demoted to Guizhou province, the philosopher Wang Yangming in Dynasty Ming said that the green forestry of trees had reduced the suffering of sizzling long summer. Today, the cool temperature and refreshing air have already become the unique attraction of Guizhou. Located towards the mountains, Guizhou province embraces diverse cultures with 18 inhabited ethnic groups living in harmony with mountains and rivers. The vivid cultural heritages left from different times have made Guizhou the “Island of Thousand Culture”. As the evening fell, amid the mountains and rivers, cities were lit up and bursting out with vigor and energy. Guizhou province achieved its development because of its mountains. We have built 27,000 bridges connecting the mountains and hills, achieving full coverage with suspension, cable-stayed, arch, and girder types, creating dozens of “world records”, securing a successful transformation from “thousands of ravines” to “high-speed plains”, and winning the reputation of the “World Bridge Museum”. The convenient combination of the bridge with hotels has provided visitors with a special experience. As the province of bridges and cable ways, Guizhou offers you a bright future. Mountains have further promoted Guizhou province. The fact that “Guizhou province abounds in useful herbs” and “Guizhou produces healthy and green food” is widely accepted. It is hailed as the “outdoor sports heaven” since various outdoor activities, such as marathons, cycling, car rallies, rafting, and rock climbing, can be held over 330 days a year. During the post-pandemic era, Guizhou province will continue to bring a healthy lifestyle with its mountain ecology.
President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the Guizhou tourism industry and appraises it as the “Province of Parks” many times as an instruction for us to continue to develop the tourism industry, enrich tourism ecology and humanism, and achieve high-quality tourism development. In recent years, we have fully implemented the spirit of President Xi’s key speech during his visit to Guizhou to speed up the effort of developing Guizhou province through its mountain resources and working to build a top-notch international mountain tourism destination and domestic wellness tourism center. With its increasing popularity as a mountain province, its tourism economy has expanded. Apart from 2020, when COVID-19 hit the region, it has maintained over 30% in the number of visitors and total tourism revenue in the first four years of the 13th Five-Year Plan period, with the added value of tourism and related industries in Guizhou accounting for 5.2% of GDP in 2021. Since 2016, tourism has helped alleviate poverty, driving 1.13 million poor people out of poverty.
The past mountain tourism development practices in Guizhou have vividly proved the theory that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets is correct. Promoting mountain tourism helps to pursue growth while safeguarding our ecology, inherit the traditional culture, and achieve high-quality socio-economic development. We will actively adapt to any changes after the pandemic, focus on culture and tourism integration, follow the guidance of culture and technology, work to increase efficiency and quality, continue to improve the tourism industry and adhere to Taoism for sustainable development of mountain tourism, respect all cultures and enrich ecological culture and humanities, strive to improve the quality of products, brands, and services related to the tourism sector for a significant boost in both comprehensive strengths of the tourism industry and economic development. Therefore, we can turn the excellent ecology and the cultural heritage left by our ancestors into a constant green source of earnings for the people’s well-living.
The vast Asia region is heavily populated, with three-quarters of its land covered with mountains, hills, and plateaus, promising a bright future. The world is still in the middle of pandemic prevention and control, and the tourism sector recovery faces severe challenges. This conference with the topic of Amity, Sincerity, Mutual Benefit, Inclusiveness, Cooperation, and Sharing——Jointly Building a New Future for Asian Mountain Tourism has demonstrated our traditional diplomatic policy of good neighborliness and partnership, responded to the initiative of “International Sustainable Mountain Tourism Year” put forward by the United Nations, taken the post-pandemic reality into consideration, and discussed the mountain tourism development plan in depth, playing an essential role in achieving robust Asian tourism recovery. The fact that the conference is being held in Guizhou symbolizes the great importance and support we attached to mountain tourism development. Guizhou will seize this opportunity to invite friends from all walks of life to the "Province of Parks" to enjoy the charming landscape and humanity while spending time in the wellness tourism center. Meanwhile, we will look forward to working with the tourism industry to deepen our communication through the International Mountain Tourism Alliance, share the benefits of high-quality development of mountain tourism in Guizhou, Asia, and the world, conduct cooperation in high-level tourism investment, create first-class tourism scenic spots, rural lodges, resort hotels, and new business models. In addition, we will join hands to cultivate top talent teams, improve operational management, and build stronger tourism-related enterprises. We will also work together to deliver high-quality tourism services, create convenient tourism routes, and explore domestic and overseas source markets.
