Editor's note: On September 15, the "International Mountain Tourism Alliance (IMTA) Annual Conference and Dialogue among World Famous Mountains 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 Mountains 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.
Madan Kumar Acharya, Committee Member of Nepal Tourism Board, delivered a keynote speech at the Dialogue among World Famous Mountains 2023.
The following is the full text of the speech:
It is a distinct honor and privilege for me to be part of this historic International Mountain Tourism Alliance (IMTA) conference taking place in this beautiful city of Xingyi. On behalf of the Nepal Tourism Board, I extend my appreciation to the IMTA Secretariat and the organizing team for inviting me and the delegates from Nepal to this important event. In its early years of establishment, IMTA had to face a severe calamity caused by COVID-19 pandemic, evidently a litmus test of survival. Deep applause to the torchbearers of IMTA, it has withstood the hardship and is able to steer ahead more robustly.
As a founding member of IMTA, the Nepal Tourism Board had an honor to host IMTA event in 2019 along with Nepalese tourism associations like NATTA. I recall the fond memory of the event that took place in Nepal, and extend my gratitude to you for your trust and confidence on us.
The 2019 "International Mountain Tourism Day" theme event was held in Kathmandu, Nepal
We are at a serious crossroads in the arena of tourism checkered by the global economic slowdown, shocks and aftershocks of the COVID pandemic, intermittent wars and conflicts, events of natural calamities like wildfires, floods, heatwaves, earthquakes, storms etc., all of them taking heavy toll in tourism. Paradoxically, tourism is one of the biggest industries in the world even today. This scenario reflects the precarious yet predominant character of the tourism industry in the global economic landscape. This predicament has offered some choices in the tourism sector, one of them being a focus on "Health and Wellness" tourism.
Always prioritized but usually downplayed component in tourism is "Health and Wellness" ever since tourism evolved as a systematic economic phenomenon in the world. The COVID pandemic impulsively pushed this component to the forefront of tourism activity. Today, everyone makes sure of his or her health safety concerns as the number one requirement in the checklist. It has also augmented the dynamics of destinations indicating a marked departure from crowded and indoor tourism activities to more natural ones; from foody evenings to healthy cuisines, and from city crowds to rural cultures.
The Himalayas in Nepal
These new dynamics are very much appropriate for the destinations that thrive on the base of mountains. Nepal, with 83% of the total geography lying in mountains and hills, can arguably boast of being a destination for Health and Wellness tourism. With 8 out of 14 eight thousand meter peaks and over 1400 peaks above 5000 meters, 23% of the total area designated as protected areas like National Parks and conservations areas, with three major river systems originating from snow-capped mountains crisscrossing the whole of the nation; the country replete with lakes, thick forests offering habitat to thousands of species of animals including the endangered ones like Royal Bengal tiger, one horned rhinos, mammoth elephants, blackbucks, gharials, swamp deer, snow leopards, red panda etc., Nepal offers the most of Nature, culture and adventure based activities.
Yak in the mountains
Sustainability has become a buzzword from the beginning of this millennium, and it is gaining more and more popularity in the current decade. Nepal believes in the sustainability of Nature, Culture and economy. With pristine Nature and un-adulterated cultural heritages preserved through generations, Nepal is the heaven for tourists of all kinds. Due to its Natural and cultural diversity, altitudinal variations, medicinal herbs, traditional medical techniques, Ayurveda and naturopathy, meditation and spiritual healing methods, spa and wellness, Nepal offers the best of Health tourism for the Wellbeing of "Body, Mind and Soul in the lap of Himalaya." I welcome all potential travelers from around the world to Nepal and have the experience of lifetime.
Text and images source: IMTA
Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Wenwen
Editor Ⅱ: Wu Dan
Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong
