Enjoy the Wonder of Mountains, Share the Natural Beauty

—The "International Mountain Tourism Day 2025" Gran Canaria Initiative

As the tourism industry advances toward high-quality development, the ideas of ecological prioritization, environmental friendliness, cultural diversity, and community participation are undergoing sustained evolution. Mountain tourism, as a vital link between nature and humanity, is increasingly recognized for its multifaceted ecological, environmental, social, and cultural values. With the theme "Embracing Mountains and Seas, Coexisting with Cultures—Mountain Tourism and Cultural Inclusiveness for the Future", under the banner of "Enjoy the Wonder of Mountains, Share the Natural Beauty", the "International Mountain Tourism Day 2025" Theme Events calls for a harmonious coexistence between people and nature, as well as among diverse societies, and envisions a future of shared beauty and sustainable living. On the occasion of the 7th International Mountain Tourism Day, we hereby extend a sincere call to action to the global mountain tourism community:

I. Advance Mountain Tourism for a Sustainable Future

Guided by the principles of "protecting mountain resources, preserving mountain civilization, promoting mountain economy to the benefit of the people living in mountainous regions", we shall collectively cultivate a sound environment for mountain tourism development. This entails establishing policy frameworks focused on resource conservation, ecological civilization, and sustainable economic growth, thereby fostering inclusive growth through mountain tourism. We advocate for in-depth research on emerging trends in mountain tourism, its role in rural revitalization, and the innovation of sustainable tourism products. Efforts should be made to strengthen capacity-building and professional skills training systems, as well as to conduct destination-based case studies and promote the exchange of good practices. These initiatives will help build a robust theoretical and practical foundation for the sustainable development of mountain tourism.

II. Deepen Mutual Learning Among Civilizations and Co-forge the Values of Mountain Tourism

As mountains transcend rivers and geographical boundaries, addressing key issues such as ecological conservation, cultural heritage, and sustainable development requires forging a global vision through profound multilateral engagement. Governments, international organizations, enterprises, communities, and travelers must work hand in hand, dismantling territorial and sectoral barriers. Upholding the spirit of "Embracing Mountains and Seas", we advocate for an inclusive and responsible cooperation mechanism based on equal dialogue and shared responsibilities. We call for enhanced synergy in areas such as mutual recognition of standards, co-governance of resources, complementary advantages, and joint crisis response. With openness and inclusivity, we aim to forge a shared consensus on mutual learning among civilizations. By transforming the spirit of "scaling new heights" into practical momentum for mountain cultural and tourism collaboration, we seek to enable every mountain to radiate the brilliance of cultural connection and shared beauty. In doing so, we move toward a future of "Harmonizing Uniqueness with Collective Brilliance".

III. Foster Diverse Expressions and Promote Cultural Prosperity

The survival wisdom accumulated over centuries by mountain communities offers valuable paradigms of harmony in diversity and coexistence for modern society. We advocate for full respect of indigenous knowledge systems and cultural values, and encourage the self-expression and identity construction of local cultures. While preserving the integrity and continuity of community cultures, we should also encourage innovation—developing cultural tourism products, experiences, and communication content that reflect the unique characteristics of mountain regions, thereby enhancing the visibility and vitality of local cultures. We support diverse forms of cultural engagement in the mountain tourism sphere, including cross-cultural exchange, educational collaboration, and co-creation of creative works among nations. These efforts aim to continuously elevate global recognition and influence of mountain cultures, and to promote the building of an open, inclusive, mutually enriching, and coexistent vision of mountain civilization.

IV. Promote Community Participation and Share the Benefits of Development

We advocate for the exploration of community-based models for mountain tourism development, empowering local residents to play leading roles in planning, operation, and management. Communities should be recognized as active participants, beneficiaries, and drivers of tourism development. By fostering diverse employment opportunities through the tourism industry, we can stimulate investment in public services and infrastructure within mountain communities. Through integrated "Tourism+" approaches across multiple sectors, we aim to effectively improve the well-being of mountain populations. We encourage the establishment of collaborative mechanisms between tourism enterprises and communities to achieve benefit-sharing and inject sustainable momentum into rural revitalization and balanced regional development. Furthermore, we support the exchange of community development experiences at the international level, promoting the sharing of successful empowerment practices. In doing so, we aspire to transform mountain communities into providers of tourism services, inheritors of cultural values, and leaders in shaping the outcomes of development.

V. Empower Mountain Tourism with Technology to Co-create a New Quality Future

When ancient mountains meet modern civilization, technology emerges as a vital bridge between tradition and the future. We call for innovative thinking to unlock the diverse values of mountain resources and to deeply integrate emerging technologies—such as artificial intelligence, digital twins, and virtual reality—into mountain tourism. Through digital documentation, we can safeguard natural and endangered cultural heritage; with intelligent monitoring systems, we can anticipate and mitigate ecological risks. By enhancing the presence of mountain tourism on digital media platforms and international stages, we can turn technology into a gentle tool for protecting both nature and culture. We support cross-disciplinary innovation that combines "technology + culture and tourism + ecology", and advocate for transforming grassroots ecological wisdom into measurable indicators of sustainable development. International certification systems should be utilized to elevate the technological standard of mountain tourism. As technology reshapes destiny and innovation drives the future, mountain tourism—powered by new quality productive forces—will thrive in the global marketplace, becoming a vivid exemplar of sustainable tourism.

Source: IMTA

Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Wenwen

Editor Ⅱ: Bao Gang

Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong