On November 17th-19th, the 2020 International Mountain Tourism Alliance Annual Conference opened in Guiyang. The Conference is concentrated on the theme of "The Path of Mountain Tourism Development in the Post-COVID World". During the annual conference, the participants focused on this major topic, and discuss depth in how to promote the revitalization and quality of mountain tourism after the pandemic, and provide thoughts guidance and practice support for global mountain tourism management and promotion of global tourism industry.
This Annual Conference is hosted by the International Mountain Tourism Alliance. UNWTO, WTTC, PATA, GTEF, WTA, WTCF, ASEAN-China Centre, WCCO and other well-know international organizations and associations provided powerful support.
The Speech on the 2020"Dialogue among Famous Mountains in the World"
Dr. Dhananjay Regmi,CEO of Nepal Tourism Board, Representative of Sagarmatha(Mount Everest) National Park
Namaste!
The outbreak of Corona virus disease, COVID-19 has created a global economic and health crisis,that has created a deep impact on global economy and our everyday life. Its impact is most seen in tourism industry and people are losing jobs and income, with no way of knowing when normality will return.Countries heavily dependent on tourism are now facing hard time with deserted destinations and empty hotels.To combat the situation, Nepal has also developed "COVID-19 Safety and Hygiene Protocols for the Tourism Industry"which is a detailed guideline on the operation of tourism industry with strict adherence to health and safety.In this light, with health and safety measures as the new normal, mountain tourism will have lesser risk factors for Corona spread.
Dialogue
The Host of 2020 “Dialogue among Famous Mountains in the World”
Emma Chen，Global Vice President of the Internationale Organisation Für Volkskunst (IOV)
President Emma Chen(Host): Thank you Dr. Dhananjay Regmi. In recent years, what is the driving effect of Sagarmatha National Park on local tourism? What are the main characteristics of mountain tourism consumption groups at home and abroad?
Dr. Dhananjay Regmi: In Nepal the driving factor for tourists to Sagarmatha National Park，first thing, it is a national park So there are people who are interested in national parks. And it listed in UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 is another factor. The situation and the location of world's tallest mountain in the world Sargarmatha or the Everst is also one of the major attraction.Besides that，it is the homeland of the Sherpa people, who are best known climbers in the world，beside there are Sherpa culture and the way the lodges and tourism operated here is also a major attraction because it’s completely environment friendly and eco-tourism practices are applied there. And about the type of people who visit there they are the mostly the adventure loving people, people who loves climbing, people who love wildness, who have great interest in flora and fauna. Especial the people who love the nature People who are interested in glaciology. And people who understand the status of world's biggest water tower which is supplying the water to the biggest population depending on the agriculture.
President Emma Chen(Host): What are the unique advantages of Sagarmatha? Can you share some lessons from the operation?
Dr. Dhananjay Regmi：About the unique advantage of Sagarmatha National Park, I would like to say，we provide different type of trail from very easy to the toughest trekking trail And this national park has the highest altitudinal difference from 2845 meters to the top of the world. It is almost 6 km difference where we can find different types of flora fauna number of glaciers and glacial lakes. All these different things are major attractions of this National Park. It is also the land of endangered species, such as snow leopard, musk deer, red panda and you know the “Yeti”, the mythical snowman, is also believed to be found here.
It is the area of the fastest growing glacial lakes. They are not only the visible lakes but in glacier lakes are also which are sometimes flooded and create some problems, but they are also a part of great attraction. Besides Mt. Everest, there are Mt. Lhotse, Cho Oyu, Thamserku, Nuptse, Amadublam and other major popular peaks are also located here.
At the same time, Mera Peak and Island Peak are the ones practitioners love to climb during their training period. This is the place where airport has the highest altitude at Syangboche, and the highest altitude 5 star hotel, the Everest View Hotel from where you can have a terrific view of the mountains.
There people are best educated people because Sir Edmund Hillary started some schools there and they have the best facility. And you may don't know that the world's most powerful women are Sherpa women, they are economically independent. And they are running their business by their own. And the most important what really attracts the world community to Nepal to the Sagarmatha National Park is the environment friendly tourism, and initiatives of forest conservation, wildlife and cultural resources that receive top priority followed by alternative energy as part of conservation.
This is what attracts people to the Nepal and towards the Sagarmatha National Park.
Thank you !
