Shao Qiwei: The world famous mountains have built the vitality of sustainable development of mountain tourism
Editor's Note: On September 15, The "International Mountain Tourism Alliance (IMTA) Annual Conference and Dialogue among World Famous Mountain 2023" opened in Xingyi City, Guizhou Province. Gathering over 200 participants, including IMTA members, renowned international organizations, relevant national cultural and tourism departments, leaders and officials from Guizhou Province, professional tourism organizations and enterprises, world-famous mountain and mountain tourism destination institutions, media and other esteemed guests. The Conference was themed with "Mountain Tourism Resource Innovation and Destination Construction." Simultaneously, the Dialogue among World Famous Mountain explored the theme "World Famous Mountains Empower the Wellness of Mountain Tourism." Discussions revolved around cutting-edge strategies for mountain resource protection, innovative utilization, and development, fostering an inclusive and collaborative atmosphere.
Shao Qiwei, former Director of the National Tourism Administration of China and Vice Chairman of the First International Mountain Tourism Alliance, presented at the "Dialogue among World Famous Mountains 2023" and delivered a speech.
The following is the full text of the speech:
It is my great pleasure to gather with you again in Xingyi, Guizhou, with its picturesque scenery and beautiful waters, to share with you new scenarios and experiences in the development of mountain tourism under the new situation. First of all, as an experienced tourism practitioner who is full of emotions towards the tourism industry, I warmly congratulate the successful hosting of the new Annual Conference of the IMTA and the “Dialogue among World Famous Mountains”!
"Dialogue among World Famous Mountains 2023"
Source: International Mountain Tourism Alliance
As the haze of the COVID-19 pandemic has been cleared, we still face many new challenges while we usher in a new order of career, work and life. Changes on people's values, view of life and tourism concept are underway, and people's choice on health and safety has priority over their pursuit of material life.
Mountain tourism relies on the natural and cultural ecological environment of mountains to achieve its own development goals, manifesting the wonderful aspects of healthy living. Today, we will discuss the mountain tourism in the context of new era. On the one hand, we have to confront the multiple difficulties caused by the COVID-19 in the tourism industry in the past three years. On the other hand, we ought to cope with the changes in tourism industry, market environment, tourism workers, as well as the changes and challenges brought about by the international situation and the rapid development of modern science and technology.
Development, changes, and challenges are objective existences. As for the tourism industry, including the mountain tourism, we need to make continuous efforts in exploration and innovation, and attach great importance to a profound understanding and respect for natural, cultural, and social values.
Elbrus in the Greater Caucasus Mountains
Source: International Mountain Tourism Alliance
The world-famous mountains are the embodiment of natural and cultural heritage, representing the most magnificent natural landscape on Earth and carrying the crystallization of human wisdom and civilizations. The existence of world-famous mountains enables the mountain tourism to become a distinctive, adaptable, and exploitable tourism format, becoming a carrier of high-quality tourism.
The world-famous mountains have witnessed the development and transformations of nature and human society, embodying the spirit of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. Most countries in the world have some famous mountains and rivers, including the Himalayas in Asia, the Alps in Europe, the Kilimanjaro Mountains in Africa, the Alaska Range and the Rocky Mountains in North America, the Andes Mountains in South America, the Cascadia Mountains in Australia, etc. China also boasts numerous famous mountains that have been incorporated in the World Heritage List by UNESCO, with the number of various types of heritage ranking top in the world. It is these stunning and inexhaustible scenic resources of famous mountains that have built the vitality of sustainable development of mountain tourism.
Mount Cook in New Zealand
Source: International Mountain Tourism Alliance
World-famous mountains also play an irreplaceable role in the development of regional economy. A large number of tourists come for the mountains, driving the development of tourism elements such as catering, accommodation, transportation, sightseeing, shopping, and amusement. As a result, consumption and employment have been expanded, and the living standards of mountain residents have been greatly improved. In many mountainous regions, mountain tourism has become a significant pillar industry in economy.
The primary task of protecting and developing world-famous mountains is to ensure that the environment would not be damaged. Therefore, we need to take effective measures to ensure the integrity of mountains, mountainous areas, and famous mountains’ ecology, and abandon excessive exploitation and inefficient utilization. As for mountain tourism, we should pay special attention to protecting water resources, wildlife habitats, and reducing waste such as garbage and carbon footprint emissions. Through scientific planning and management, we can promote the greening of mountain tourism, and we ought to actively advocate for enterprises, research institutions, and business entities that are related to mountain tourism to attach great importance to the research and application of green and low-carbon technologies. In addition, we suggest that relevant sectors incorporate promoting tourism demonstration scenic areas for zero emission in their important agendas, and relevant organizations such as the International Mountain Tourism Alliance should join hands with them to make it an innovative path for sustainable mountain tourism. The integration of culture, sports and tourism is the necessary path for the sustainable development of mountain tourism. By deeply exploring the cultural resources of mountainous areas, we are able to integrate cultural elements into tourism elements, thus continuously promoting and improving the quality and attractiveness of mountain tourism.
"Dialogue among World Famous Mountains 2023"
Source: International Mountain Tourism Alliance
Famous mountains are inextricably linked with health. Since ancient times, loving mountains and entertaining mountains have become the essential part of people's lives. Living in mountains, rest in mountains, and rehabilitation treatment in mountains are the choices of people who love the notion of mountain health both at home and abroad. With the acceleration of people's pace of life and the increase of sub healthy population, it is an irresistable trend for people to focus on health. Mountain tourism is beneficial for physical and mental health, which naturally has become a fashionable lifestyle pursued by people. For example, many outdoor projects such as hot spring rehabilitation, oxygen rich sports, fitness activities, and mountain village experiences launched in mountainous areas have attracted a wealth of tourists to experience by providing professional health, rehabilitation, medical services and facilities.
As a professional international organization advocating sustainable mountain tourism, the International Mountain Tourism Alliance has always called for the attention of all sectors to the protection and development of world-famous tourism mountains. Through the research and implementation of the Classification and Evaluation System of World Famous Tourism Mountains, we have explored the establishment of standards and certification mechanism, and shared experience and business opportunities, thus providing strong intellectual support for the green and healthy development of mountain tourism. IMTA also attaches great importance to bringing together the government, commercial circles, educational circles, media, civil society, and experts from other industries to participate in exchanges and cooperation, in order to spread advanced concepts of mountain tourism, share successful cases of mountain tourism, gather practical experience of mountain tourism, and promote the perfection of mountain tourism policies.
Kathmandu in Nepal
Source: International Mountain Tourism Alliance
“Dialogue among World Famous Mountains” is a mechanism-based forum platform established by the International Mountain Tourism Alliance in 2018. Through consecutive years of hosting, the platform for dialogue and exchanges has taken its shape, which can be shared by various famous mountains in the world, with its dialogue level constantly improving. Through this dialogue, we look forward to further integrating our consensus on mountain tourism industry, and joining hands to practice the path of green, healthy, and sustainable development for the world-famous mountains and mountain tourism. Also, we hope to promote the destination agencies, international tourism organizations, and management agencies to fully play the role of guidance. In addition, we anticipate to jointly build an international platform, explore development models, and expand the mountain tourism market. At last, we hope we can join hands to explore how to apply modern technology to empower the development of mountain tourism, formulate operational and professional standards on mountain tourism, promote the talents cultivation for mountain tourism, and share the achievements of world mountain tourism development.
Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong
Editor Ⅱ: Wu Dan
Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Wenwen
