Shao Qiwei, former Chairman of China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), Vice Chairman of IMTA relesased the Jinfo Mountain Initiative for International Mountain Tourism Day 2021 at the Summit's Opening Ceremony:
World heritages, as mankind’s precious wealth, mark the glorious history of both human and Earth, inspire people’s responsibility and pride as citizens of Earth, and promote harmonious co-existence between mankind and nature. A large number of famous mountains are also listed as world heritages, standing out as unique landscapes for their special landforms, diverse species, and peculiar mountain cultures. Mountain tourism is all sorts of tourist activities based on mountain landscapes, ecological environments, and civilizations, providing tourists with a unique experience of authentic natural views, customs, and cultures. Mountain tourism aims to bridge tourists with the diversification of mountain cultures, and help publicize and revitalize the famous mountains as precious world heritages.
Climate change poses unprecedented challenges to the famous mountains and mountain tourism. Therefore, joining hands in facing climate change brooks no delay. So, to call on the mountain tourism industry and all walks of life to support the green and low-carbon progress of mountain tourism, and make the wish of protecting and sharing famous mountain resources come true, on this memorable day, the 2021 International Mountain Tourism Day, IMTA hereby proposes the following initiatives:
1. Applying resources of world-renowned mountains for the sustainable development of mountain tourism; drawing attention of the broader society on the protection and sustainable development of mountain resources; making the public more aware of the natural and cultural value of world heritage mountains.
2. Embarking on the path of ecology-oriented, green, low-carbon, and sustainable development. We must abandon the exploitation models that neglect, plunder and damage the nature, but strive for new mountain tourism models that help mankind and nature co-exist harmoniously. Tourism industry operators should pay close attention to ecological protection in planning and construction, product design, post-operation, and any other procedures, develop more premium ecological products that satisfy new consumer demands, proactively explore carbon neutral solutions for tourist activities, and guide tourists to develop sound habits of protecting the ecological environment.
3. Enriching business patterns of mountain tourism and revitalizing heritage resources. In detail, we must capitalize on the unique natural and cultural resources, local features, and landscapes of world heritage mountains, to design tourism products targeted at famous mountain adventure, culture experience tour, environment research tour, and public service tour. In doing so, we can revitalize the world-renowned mountains listed as world natural heritages in the new era, and popularize them among the general public.
4. Applying and promoting green, low-carbon technologies in mountain tourism. For that, we call on mountain tourism enterprises, research institutes, and relevant business entities to focus on R&D, applying green and low-carbon technologies, probing into how to reduce hotel energy consumption, save energy and reduce emission for vehicles, and recycle resources of scenic areas, in a bid to create demonstration tourist attractions of zero discharge.
5. Initiating positive and mutual-benefit interaction between mountain tourism and mountain protection. To be specific, we need to help and serve mountain dwellers via economic and social benefits of mountain tourism, help them learn more about the precious value of world heritages, encourage local communities to participate in preserving and developing natural heritages, so that every local resident can be an integral part of heritage protection and development.
Protect and share famous mountains via green and low-carbon tourism.
Enjoy the Wonder of Mountains, Share the Natural Beauty.
