Today is a special day. Today in history, mankind reached the summit of Mount Everest for the first time. Today 66 years later, tourism players from different countries meet here in Kathmandu，the capital of Nepal, to witness the launching of the 1st "International Mountain Tourism Day" and discuss how to lead the high-quality development of mountain tourism through ecology, green, science and technology through the event. Today coincides with Nepal's annual International Mount Everest Day. On this symbolic day, in the name of the host and operator, on behalf of the International Mountain Tourism Alliance (IMTA) and Mr. He Yafei, the Secretary-General of the IMTA, I would like to extend warm welcome to the guests and friends from across the world! Also, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the support units, co-organizers and media, especially to relevant Nepalese departments, the Chinese Embassy in Nepal and other relevant entities for their strong support to the event!
The world looks beautiful and animated because of the mountains. The natural and human ecological system of mountains have been providing countless resources for the tourism, inspiring new lifestyles, production methods and consumption patterns. Global tourism has been increasingly depending on mountain tourism, a new focal point that attracts the greatest attention in the history of the tourism industry, as well as a new engine that will definitely generate inexhaustible momentum. From another perspective, the natural and human ecological system of mountains, including natural and cultural heritages ,are fragile, unable to withstand any damage from inappropriate decisions, planning, development and behaviors. Managers and practitioners of the mountain tourism must shoulder responsibilities to work out solutions to the many ecological problems we are facing. Therefore, it is a significant task for IMTA to figure out how to drive the progress of mountain tourism in a scientific, orderly way, and at the same time, spread the “green benefits” to more people while pumping “green momentum” to the mountain tourism.
The IMTA is a non-profit international organization officially approved by the Chinese government, one of China's three international tourism organizations, as well as the only well-structured professional international mountain tourism organization. Guided by the goal of sustainable tourism, the IMTA seeks to protect mountain resources, preserve mountain civilization, and promote mountain economy to the benefit of the people living in mountainous regions, which will be the eternal values of the IMTA. According to the Statutes of the IMTA, oriented by the spirit of harmony and inclusiveness for win-win cooperation,we are striving to build a platform for business cooperation and experience sharing between members, industries and industrial fields, as well as a platform for mountain tourism research and consultation, business training, industry evaluation, brand certification and information release. In addition, we keep expanding the space where we share business with partners, to create an environment for us to improve the quality of mountain tourism. In this way, we are dedicated to making IMTA into a responsible and productive international organization that is willing to provide a platform for demanders, including all the participants today, to carry out friendly cooperation. IMTA members include 142 groups and individuals from 29 countries and regions. IMTA enjoys a sound, high-level, strong and extensive membership structure, a unique interpersonal network and intellectual resources worldwide. As our membership structure and internal system improve, the performance and global influence of IMTA will definitely reach a higher position. The IMTA was initiated by and headquartered in Guizhou Province, China, the only Chinese province successfully initiating an international tourism organization apart from Beijing, because Guizhou rich in tourism resources is one of China's most prestigious mountain tourism destinations and the permanent site of the International Mountain Tourism Conference.
The 2018 Annual Conference of International Mountain Tourism Alliance is a special edition. Proposed by all members, we successfully initiated and set "International Mountain Tourism Day", marking the birth of the first holiday for world mountain tourism, which is undoubtedly an inspiring move. Setting May 29 as "International Mountain Tourism Day" marked by the mankind's first successful attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest 66 years ago is of remarkable symbolic significance and Nepalese contributed to the success. The feat shows mankind's spirit and belief of being with nature, fearing no hardships, staying positive and pursuing ideals. The era full of opportunities and challenges and seeing the prosperity of mountain tourism calls on mountain tourism leaders and practitioners to contribute more remarkable wisdom, ideals, beliefs and practical spirit to the goal of sustainable mountain tourism. "International Mountain Tourism Day", more than a commemorative day, has explored and built a sustainable global tourism cooperation, cultural integration and civilization exchange platform for mountain tourism in a deeper sense. "International Mountain Tourism Day" and its diversified activities have aroused the industry's awareness of protecting mountain nature and cultural ecology, explored ways for effective and sustainable use of mountain resources, enhanced tourism lovers' sense of gains from mountain tourism, and made them enjoy health and joy from mountain tourism. In an exclusive interview with Economic View, Mr. Dai Bin, President of the China Tourism Academy thought the significance of "International Mountain Tourism Day" is arousing people's awareness of embracing mountains and rivers to make their characters healthier, attracting more investors and operators to the mountain tourism market, advancing international exchanges and business cooperation in mountain tourism, and promoting the prosperity of the mountain economy, culture and society. At a new starting point of milestone significance, I believe that the wonderful vision will come true with our concerted efforts and active engagement.
Today we witnessed the opening of the 1st "International Mountain Tourism Day" and will host the Mountain Tourism International Forum, with the theme "Ecology, green, science & technology lead the high-quality development of mountain tourism ". With focus on the theme, experts from international organizations, government departments, industrial societies and tourism enterprises will share their experience in mountain tourism development, as well as new topics and challenges arising in development with global vision.
This afternoon we will also deliver an Mountain Tourism Experience Sharing and Business Cooperation Dialogue, which is a dialogue between culture and tourism, sports and tourism, the government and enterprises and enterprises.All the expereince, cases, problems, concepts, methods and paths, will offer us valuable reference and enlightenment. I believe that we will capture new information reflecting the law and trend of mountain tourism development from the speeches, provoke our thought on current and future opportunities and challenges, find new business opportunities and penetrating points for win-win cooperation, and pay more attention to ecology, green, science & technology lead the high-quality development of mountain tourism.Connected by mountains and waters, rich in mountain resources, with distinctive features, China and Nepal have a solid foundation for cooperation in fields such as tourism, culture and economic trade. Against the background that China and Nepal are carrying out "Belt and Road" cooperation in depth, Nepal is meeting Tourism Year 2020 and Zhangmu Port has reopened today after the earthquake in Nepal,China-Nepal mountain tourism cooperation, especially bilateral personnel exchanges, will usher in an unprecedented opportunity. The IMTA will work with relative Nepal institutions jointly to help boost the Tourism Year 2020 Plan, and get deep involved in China and Nepal's cause of protecting and using mountain tourism resources, researching on mountain tourism development, reducing poverty through mountain tourism and benefiting mountainous people. It is hoped that Guizhou where the IMTA is located and Nepal will first create typical successful experience on the basis of in-depth cooperation.
To conclude, I wish International Mountain Tourism Day a complete success!
Wish you good health and all the best!
