On November 11, the International Conference of Mountain Tourism and Outdoor Sports (MTOS) 2025 commenced in Guiyang City, Guizhou Province. With the continued theme "Integration of Culture, Tourism and Sports Presents a High Quality Life," this year's Conference featured a series of events including the International Mountain Tourism Alliance (IMTA) Annual Conference 2025, the International Mountain Tourism Promotion Conference 2025, a Field Trip to Guizhou Mountain Tourism Destinations, and the Bank of Guizhou·Mountain Culture, Tourism and Outdoor Sport Equipment Exhibition. Over 350 participants gathered, including representatives from international organizations, government and tourism departments of relevant countries, diplomatic missions in China, tourism-related enterprises, mountain tourism destination management agencies, experts, scholars, and media from more than 30 countries and regions. They explored new pathways for the integrated development of "Mountain Tourism +", shared new achievements in mountain tourism development, and worked together to build a prosperous new future for mountain tourism.
I. Joining Hands for Shared Mountain Tourism Prosperity
Opening remarks were delivered by Dominique de Villepin, IMTA Chairman, Lu Yongzheng, Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee, He Yafei, IMTA Vice Chairman and Secretary General alongside Zhu Shanzhong, UN Tourism Ambassador and Mansour Chaya, Chargé d’ Affaires a.i., Embassy of the Republic of Lebanon in China.
In his opening address, Dominique de Villepin, IMTA Chairman stated that amidst the complex global economic situation characterized by "fragility, weakness, imbalance, and instability," we should persist in using openness to resolve difficulties and interconnection to promote shared prosperity, breaking down geographical and industrial barriers to make international cooperation the core engine leading the high-quality development of mountain tourism. Governments, international organizations, and industry institutions should strengthen policy dialogue and strategic alignment, promoting synergy in mountain tourism development strategies, especially in areas such as establishing shared standards, data sharing, talent development, and market connectivity. Through open, inclusive, and interconnected international cooperation, mountain tourism can become a powerful force for promoting global economic recovery, enhancing mutual learning among civilizations, and advancing sustainable development, making every mountain a witness to peace and development.
"Visitor arrivals and total tourism spending in Guizhou Province in 2024 increased by 25.8% and 35.1% respectively compared to 2019, the pre-pandemic period, fully demonstrating the strong resilience and great potential of Guizhou's tourism," said Lu Yongzheng, Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee. In recent years, Guizhou has focused on promoting high-quality development in tourism industrialization, building world-class tourist attractions and first-class tourist cities, and striving to create world-class tourist destinations. The cultural and tourism industry is accelerating its transformation from large-scale to strong, showing a positive development momentum, with the experience shifting from 'traveling comfortably in Guizhou' to 'living enjoyably in Guizhou'. As the initiator of the IMTA, Guizhou is willing to work with the Alliance and all parties to build a new highland for mountain tourism cooperation, foster new kinetic energy for mountain tourism development, establish new industry standards for mountain tourism, and draw a new picture of mountain tourism benefiting the people.
"Currently, the integration of culture and tourism is becoming a new strategic pivot for promoting high-quality development," He Yafei, IMTA Vice Chairman and Secretary General pointed out in his speech. Promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism requires enriching the content with culture to achieve an "experience upgrade," consolidating emotions with culture to strengthen the "spiritual bond," nurturing growth with culture to aid "youth development," and revitalizing industries with culture to drive "economic renewal." The ultimate pursuit of a high-quality life must be based on health and happiness to safeguard the "essence of life," empowered by technology to achieve a "quality leap," and guided by universal accessibility to practice the "direction of development." In the future, the IMTA will be rooted in China with a global vision, promoting Guizhou's experiences domestically, such as its "Village Brand" IP, red tourism, ecological study tours, and digital tourism, by compiling practical guides; internationally, it will build cross-border platforms, jointly establishing a "Mountain Ecological Study Tour Corridor" with Southeast Asian countries and sharing China's practical achievements.
"In the first half of 2025, global international tourist arrivals reached 690 million, an increase of 33 million compared to the same period in 2024 and a 4% increase compared to 2019," shared Zhu Shanzhong, UN Tourism Ambassador, citing data from the UN Tourism Data Dashboard released in September 2025. He noted that China, as an important global tourism source market and destination, continues to release market vitality. With the ongoing optimization of transit visa-free policies, China is attracting an increasing number of international high-end tourists. International tourism consumption behaviors also show new trends, with more tourists inclined to choose natural, healthy, and in-depth cultural experience products, which provides broad space for the development of mountain tourism.
"This Conference, with its theme 'Integration of Culture, Tourism and Sports Presents a High Quality Life,' profoundly interprets our common pursuit: making tourism not only a driver of economic growth but also a bond for mutual learning among civilizations, a guardian of cultural identity, and a promoter of the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature," said Mansour Chaya, Chargé d’ Affaires a.i., Embassy of the Republic of Lebanon in China, in his address. He stated that Guizhou's practices in green innovation, ethnic diversity, and community tourism provide reference for mountain areas globally, while Lebanon is also committed to sustainable development. The two sides are about to sign their first cooperation agreement, based on shared values of protection, education, and sustainable tourism, planning to exchange expertise and promote mutual learning in areas such as biodiversity management and ecotourism planning, thereby advancing cooperation between the two mountain regions.
II. Pooling Efforts to Showcase Mountain Tourism Achievements
At the IMTA Annual Conference, Ao Kemo, IMTA Vice Chairman and Executive Secretary-General, reported on the "IMTA 2025 Work Summary and 2026 Priorities". Ao Kemo stated that in 2025, the IMTA continued to optimize its operational mechanisms, strengthen platform functions, and broaden cooperation channels. Working hand-in-hand with its members and industry partners, it jointly promoted the development of the global mountain tourism governance system. Its international reputation and industry influence continued to rise, receiving full affirmation from national industry management departments and widespread recognition from international authoritative institutions and industry partners. In 2026, the IMTA will continue to deepen international cooperation, lead professional innovation, serve communities and members, enhance its international influence, and fully promote the high-quality development of global mountain tourism towards a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient direction.
He Yafei exchanged Memoranda of Cooperation (MoC) with Peter Semone, PATA Chairman; Sudarshan Nepal, President of the Everest Alliance Nepal; and Xu Yong, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Hubei Province. These exchanges aim to inject new momentum into the sustainable growth of the global tourism industry and contribute practical strength through resource sharing and mutual learning of advantages.
Xu Jing, former Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, UNWTO, IMTA Individual Director and member of the Expert Committee, released the special publication of Innovation in Mountain Tourism and Community Co-development on behalf of the IMTA. This publication gathers wisdom from international organizations, academia, and the industry, actively exploring new sustainable development paths centered on cultural heritage, technological empowerment, and social synergy. Xu Jing stated that from the Swiss Alps to the plateaus of Southwest China, from the Andes to the Himalayas, human activities in mountain spaces are not merely about taking from nature but also about dialogue with it; not just about industrial advancement but also about the symbiosis of civilizations. It is hoped that this publication can serve as a new starting point for writing new chapters of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, communities and the future in promoting the global sustainable development process of mountain tourism.
Based on research results such as the Certification Criteria of World Famous Tourism Mountains and the International Guidebook for the Development of Hiking compiled by the IMTA in conjunction with authoritative industry institutions, a new group of "World Famous Tourism Mountains" and "International Mountain Hiking Tourism Demonstration Routes" were globally recognized this year. Eight mountains, including Mount Huangshan (China) and Mount Fitz Roy (Argentina), and six hiking routes, including Changbai Mountain Forest Secret Land Mountain Hiking Tourist Route (China) and Mundum Trail (Nepal), were selected. This further enriches the roster of world-class high-quality mountain tourism destinations, provides more reference options for global tourists, and sets examples for the high-quality development of mountain tourism.
The IMTA also presented certificates to 15 new members joining the IMTA this year, including the Colombia Trochas Bicibles Foundation, Volunteering Without Borders Foundation, and Liberia National Tourism Association, strengthening industry connections and further expanding the "international family." Currently, members of the IMTA include 210 groups and individuals from 40 countries and regions across six continents, including 117 domestic institutions, 82 overseas institutions and 11 individuals.
III. Exchanging and Sharing Development Experiences
At the International Mountain Tourism Promotion Conference 2025, representatives from tourism authorities, diplomatic missions in China, mountain tourism destination management agencies, and tourism-related enterprises from China, Nepal, Russia, Malawi, Colombia, and other countries made presentations around the theme "Promote Mountain Prosperity and Create Shared Brilliance."
In the opening address, Liu Zhaohui, IMTA Vice Chairman stated that the global demand for "immersive experiences" continues to rise. Mountains, as composite destinations carrying ecology, culture, and sports, have become one of the core engines of tourism transformation. Mountain tourism, as an important part of the tourism industry, is not only a vivid practice of the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature but also an important path for promoting green regional economic development and cultural exchange and mutual learning. This promotion conference, themed "Promote Mountain Prosperity and Create Shared Brilliance," looks forward to everyone discussing cooperation and sharing opportunities together.
Giorgio Grussu, Project Coordinator of the Mountain Partnership Secretariat at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), emphasized in his speech that facing the challenges of fragile mountain ecosystems and community development, it is necessary to promote the deep integration of sustainable tourism and agriculture. He called for enhanced global collaboration, promoting community resilience building through innovative models, and leveraging multilateral platforms like the Mountain Partnership to jointly achieve a balance between mountain conservation and development.
Peter Semone, Chairman of the PATA, delivered a speech and released The Research Report on Strategies for Developing Guizhou's Inbound Tourism Market Targeting Key Countries in the Asia-Pacific Region, jointly compiled by the IMTA and PATA. He pointed out that the Asia-Pacific region, as one of the world's largest tourism markets, holds a key position in Guizhou's inbound tourism landscape. The Report conducts systematic research on the travel preferences, motivations, consumption behaviors, and information channels of Asia-Pacific tourists visiting Guizhou. It aims to grasp the trends of Guizhou's cultural and tourism products in the international market and proposes recommendations for promotion methods and tourist attraction strategies targeting key source countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
Yang Xiangdong, Director of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guizhou Province, promoted Guizhou's cultural and tourism offerings around the theme "Embracing the Splendor of Mountains, Co-creating Outdoor Excellence." He welcomed everyone to visit Guizhou, experience its magnificent mountain scenery, thrilling outdoor sports, rich and diverse ethnic culture, and comfortable wellness vacations, sharing the unlimited opportunities of Guizhou's high-quality mountain tourism development.
Li Shuanke, President and Editor-in-Chief of Chinese National Geography, elaborated on the upgrade and leadership of mountain tourism development from aspects such as aesthetic communication and value transformation around the theme "The Beauty of Mountains and Mountain Tourism Development." Khumbo Rudo Mzikamanda, Vice Consul Tourism at the Consulate General of the Republic of Malawi in Changsha, promoted Malawi's mountain resources, tourism formats, and development concepts, warmly inviting everyone to visit Malawi and deepen international cooperation.
Representatives including Kumar Mani Thapaliya, President of the Nepal Association of Tour & Travel Agents (NATTA); Alexander Dunets, Vice President of the International Association of Natural Resources; Chen Gang, Founder and CEO of Mafengwo; Jimmy Guaquez Montenegro, Director of the Volunteering Without Borders Foundation, and Jorge Hurtado Duarte, Advisor of the Volunteering Without Borders Foundation; and Kong Hao, Hainan Tourism Promotion Ambassador, engaged in resource alignment and market connectivity regarding innovative formats and market expansion of mountain tourism destinations in various countries, sharing the achievements of sustainable mountain tourism development.
IV. Releasing and Activating Mountain Tourism Vitality
On the day of the event, the "Bank of Guizhou·Mountain Culture, Tourism and Outdoor Sport Equipment Exhibition" exclusively sponsored by Bank of Guizhou, was opened to the public free of charge. The exhibition included the "Life Amid the Earth's Folds" photography exhibition jointly organized by the IMTA Secretariat and the China Guizhou International Culture and Science & Technology Exchange Center, as well as featured cultural tourism products such as mountain cuisine and intangible cultural heritage, and professional outdoor equipment displays and experiences. It comprehensively presented the diverse value of mountain tourism, practiced the concept of "High-quality Life," supported the synergistic development of the industrial chain, and enriched the multi-dimensional experience of participants. During the Conference, attendees conducted field research on characteristic mountain tourism and sports projects in Guizhou, focusing on the new format of bridge-tourism integration at the world's highest bridge – the Huajiang Canyon Bridge. Through on-site exchanges and research, they personally experienced Guizhou's innovative achievements in the integrated development of mountain tourism.
From proposing "Mountain Tourism · Green Sports · Coordinated Development" in 2015 to maintaining the theme "Integration of Culture, Tourism and Sports Presents a High Quality Life" in recent years, the MTOS has consistently focused on ecological protection, industrial integration, and international cooperation. It has not only witnessed the leapfrog development of mountain tourism in Guizhou but also provided a key communication platform for this transformation. Throughout this process, the IMTA has continuously leveraged its professionalism and international character, injecting energy into the cause of mountain tourism, promoting the upgrade of mountain resources from natural treasures to core carriers empowering high-quality life, and jointly building a more dynamic and sustainable new pattern for mountain tourism development.
Image and text source: IMTA
Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Wenwen
Editor Ⅱ: Bao Gang
Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong
