On June 4 (local time), the "Symposium on Shared Development of Mountain Tourism," hosted by the International Mountain Tourism Alliance (IMTA), was successfully held in Rome, Italy. Representatives from China, including Song Xiaolu, Party member of the Leadership Group and Deputy Director-General (with rank of Director-General) of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guizhou Province, and Wen Weiya, Assistant Secretary-General of IMTA, engaged in in-depth discussions with representatives from Italy such as Mariano Angelucci, President of the XII Standing Committee of Rome City Council; Carlo Capria, Director of the Observatory for Small and Medium Enterprises under the Italian Prime Minister’s Office; and Francesco Granese, Head of the Italian Federation of Tourism Companies (FIAVET). The dialogue centered on key topics including sustainable mountain tourism development, cultural empowerment, and international cooperation.

Scene of the Symposium

Song Xiaolu, Deputy Director-General of Guizhou’s Department of Culture and Tourism, introduced the multidimensional natural and cultural resources of Guizhou Province. As a quintessential mountainous region in China, Guizhou is also one of the most culturally diverse provinces, renowned as "a sea of festivals." Cultural highlights such as the Grand Song of the Dong ethnic group, the charm of Miao villages, and the "Village Football Super League" collectively weave a vibrant narrative of mountain life. This deep integration of "mountains, people, culture, and tourism" constitutes Guizhou’s core appeal. He cordially invited Italian tourism stakeholders to visit Guizhou in late September to experience its cultural vitality and innovative practices firsthand at the 2025 International Mountain Tourism and Outdoor Sports Conference.

Remarks by Song Xiaolu, Deputy Director-General of Guizhou’s Department of Culture and Tourism

Wen Weiya, Assistant Secretary-General of IMTA, outlined the alliance’s positioning, mission, and achievements. She noted that the recently concluded 2025 International Mountain Tourism Day event fostered open dialogue on how mountain tourism can embrace multiculturalism and drive inclusive growth, showcasing IMTA’s global influence in building consensus and inspiring industry insights. She emphasized the alliance’s commitment to advancing "sustainable, inclusive, and shared" development to promote healthier and more stable growth of the global mountain tourism industry. Guizhou, home to IMTA’s headquarters, will leverage this event to enhance cooperation with Italy and explore new prospects for mountain tourism.

Remarks by Wen Weiya, Assistant Secretary-General of IMTA

Mariano Angelucci, President of the XII Standing Committee of Rome City Council, highlighted the continuity and dynamism of cultural and tourism exchanges between China and Italy. As a major European tourist destination, Rome prioritizes innovative cultural-tourism development and looks forward to deepening partnerships with China across broader fields. Carlo Capria, Director of the Observatory for Small and Medium Enterprises under the Italian Prime Minister’s Office, shared Italy’s innovative approaches to green mountain tourism, stressing that sustainability hinges on the synergy of ecology, culture, and community.

Remarks by Mariano Angelucci, President of the XII Standing Committee of Rome City Council

Remarks by Carlo Capria, Director of the Observatory for Small and Medium Enterprises under the Italian Prime Minister’s Office

Francesco Granese, Head of FIAVET, underscored sustainability as a core industry issue and expressed hope to strengthen China-Italy cooperation through the association’s platform to jointly create green tourism models. Claudia Bettiol, an Italian expert in rural sustainability, shared successful pathways for revitalizing mountain towns through festivals, art, and training programs, expressing eagerness to adapt such models for international collaboration.

Remarks by Francesco Granese, Head of FIAVET

Remarks by Claudia Bettiol, Italian Expert in Rural Sustainability

Italian mayors, including Fabio Zambon (Bellegra) and Fulvio Proietti (Rocca Canterano), affirmed the symposium’s value as a platform for China-Italy mountain tourism cooperation and thanked the Chinese side for its efforts. They pledged active participation in cultural tourism and rural revitalization initiatives to jointly advance high-quality mountain tourism development.

Visit to the "Mountain Partnership" Secretariat (MPS) of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

That morning, the Chinese delegation visited the MPS of the FAO. They held in-depth discussions on mountain tourism, resource conservation, and advancing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, reaching preliminary consensus on co-establishing a "Mountain Tourism Capacity Building and Talent Development" project.

Source: IMTA

Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Wenwen

Editor Ⅱ: Bao Gang

Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong