🌍International Mountain Tourism Day 2026 will kick off in Shennongjia
🧗As global tourism accelerates its green transition and traveler demand for eco-experiences and healthy lifestyles continues to grow, the International Mountain Tourism Day 2026 is scheduled to open on 29 May in Shennongjia Forestry District, Hubei Province. With the theme "Preserving World Heritage, Sharing the Prosperity of Famous Mountains — Zhiyin Hubei, Mysterious Shennongjia", theInternational Mountain Tourism Day Theme Events will bring together international organizations, national cultural and tourism bodies, members of the International Mountain Tourism Alliance (IMTA), experts and scholars, and industry leaders. United by mountains and bound by a shared commitment to sustainability, participants will explore how environmental protection and economic development can flourish together, advancing the protection and use of World Heritage sites.
🌳Gathering in Shennongjia for the International Mountain Tourism Celebration
This event is organized by IMTA, and carried out jointly by the Department of Culture and Tourism of Hubei Province, the Shennongjia Forestry District People's Government, Hubei Cultural Tourism Group, and the IMTA Secretariat, with support from international organizations, including UN Tourism, the Mountain Partnership Secretariat (MPS) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the World Tourism Alliance, the World Tourism Cities Federation, the ASEAN - China Centre, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), and the Global Tourism Economy Forum.
The program features the opening ceremony and the Dialogue among World Famous Mountains 2026 as its main part, complemented by the “Shenwuxia” International Eco-Cultural Tourism Corridor Development and Hubei Inbound Tourism Exchange, the Mountain Culture and Tourism Exhibition, IMTA Night of Shennongjia, the Investment and Business Meeting for Mountain Culture and Tourism, and Site Inspection Tours: Mountain Tourism Development.
The opening ceremony will feature addresses by senior officials and representatives from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China, IMTA, Hubei provincial institutions, international organizations, as well as foreign embassies and consulates in China. The Shennongjia Declaration will be released, and newly certificated “World Famous Tourism Mountains” will be officially issued. Annapurna of Himalayas, the "Roof of the World" and Shennongjia, the "Roof of Central China", will be formally established as sister mountains.
Themed "Ecological Conservation and Pathways for Innovative Development of Famous Tourism Mountains", the Dialogue among World Famous Mountains 2026 will bring together mountain management bodies from China, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and beyond to share best practices in sustainable development of World Heritage sites. A roundtable dialogue featuring experts from PATA, the International Tourism Studies Association, MPS of FAO, World Animal Protection, and ICIMOD will explore how to strike a balance between tourism development and ecological conservation.
There is a rich array of supporting events. The Investment and Business Meeting for Mountain Culture and Tourism, the “Shenwuxia” International Eco-Cultural Tourism Corridor Development and Hubei Inbound Tourism Exchange, IMTA Night of Shennongjia, Cultural Performance: The Mysterious Shennongjia, and Site Inspection Tours: Mountain Tourism Development will foster deeper engagement. These experiences will immerse guests in Shennongjia's distinctive mountain culture and heritage, offering participants a multi-dimensional journey.
⛰️ Building a Shared Future: A New Chapter in Mountain Tourism Cooperation
International Mountain Tourism Day was established by IMTA to commemorate 29 May, the date of humanity's first successful ascent of Mount Everest. Since its inception in 2018, seven editions have been held in China, Nepal, Laos, France, Spain, and beyond. Each gathering has drawn wide industry attention through its distinctive themes, substantive programming, forward-thinking vision, and engaging format. The International Mountain Tourism Day has developed into a shared platform cultivated and benefited from by the global mountain tourism community and IMTA members, standing as one of IMTA's most visible and influential brands in shaping global tourism governance.
Shennongjia is the first heritage site in China to be collectively inscribed under three major UNESCO conservation frameworks: the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Reserve, Global Geopark and World Heritage Site, earning it the title of a "triple-accredited" heritage site. It safeguards Eurasia's most intact forest ecosystem and the Northern Hemisphere's most significant biodiversity at this latitude—an ecosystem of global importance, representativeness, typicality and rarity. By partnering with Hubei Province to host the International Mountain Tourism Day 2026 here, IMTA aims to create a premier global platform for mountain tourism dialogue, advance the protection and use of World Heritage sites, and share with the world China's vision and practical experience in fostering harmony between humanity and nature.
#InternationalMountainTourismDay #Shennongjia2026 #WorldHeritage #MountainTourism #IMTA @UNmountains
📌 Chishui Danxia, Zunyi, China
🏜️ A UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, representing China's largest early-stage Danxia landform cluster.
💦Crisscrossed by 352 rivers and streams, creating over 4,000 waterfalls (some exceeding 3 meters in width) that form the largest waterfall group in Asia.
🌳 A "Green Danxia" wonder, where vast bamboo seas and ancient tree ferns intertwine with red cliffs.
#ChishuiDanxia #DanxiaLandform #WorldHeritage #Waterfall #BambooSea #ChinaTravel #NatureWonder #Guizhou #fyp #TravelPhotography #photography #Hiking
📌Tiger Leaping Gorge, Shangri-La, China
⛰️ Ranked as one of the world's most beautiful canyons and a classic hiking route.
🌊 The Jinsha River rushes violently between the Jade Dragon and Haba Snow Mountains.
📏Stretching 316 km with a maximum depth of 6,100 meters.
📖Legend has it that a tiger once leaped across the river on a mid-stream boulder.
#TigerLeapingGorge #Canyon #ShangriLa #Yunnan #ChinaTravel #Hiking #Nature #Adventure #JinshaRiver #WorldHeritage #fyp #travel #wanderlust @Amazing_Yunnan@goyunnanchina@YunnanTourism
The Dialogue among World Famous Mountains 2026 successfully concluded!
Under the theme “Ecological Conservation and Pathways for Innovative Development of Famous Tourism Mountains”, representatives from China, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam shared practical experiences on balancing ecological protection, cultural heritage, and sustainable tourism.
1. Lu Lin (Director of Shennongjia Forestry District Culture and Tourism Bureau, Hubei Province - Representative of Shennongjia)
2. Diego Ezequiel Gamboa (Secretary of State for Tourism of Santa Cruz Province, Argentina and Julieta Andrea Martín Fabrello, President of the Provincial Hotel Association of Santa Cruz Province, Argentina - Representative of Mount Fitz Roy)
3. Srdan Susic (Chief Sustainability Officer, Suda Development Co., Ltd., Saudi Arabia - Representative of Soudah Mountain)
4. Chen Fang (World Geopark Evaluation Expert, Danxiashan Management Committee of Shaoguan - Representative of Mount Danxia)
5. Đào Duy Tùng (CEO of Tung Lam Development Joint Stock Company, Vietnam - Representative of Yên Tử Mountain)
Hosted by Xu Jing (Former Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, UN Tourism), the roundtable featured panelists including:
- Soon-Hwa Wong (PATA Ambassador for Greater China)
- Tiger Wu (Founding Chairman, International Tourism Studies Association)
- Federico Mattei (FAO Sustainable Food Systems Specialist)
- Zhao Zhonghua (World Animal Protection, Beijing)
- Anu Kumari Lama (ICIMOD)
Together they explored the way to balance tourism development with ecological protection.
#InternationalMountainTourismDay #IMTD2026 #Shennongjia #WorldHeritage #MountainTourism #ZhiyinHubei #SustainableTourism #IMTA
@UNmountains@icimod@nepalmountains@nepalcanyoning@PATA_HQ@UNWTO_pub@UNWTO@MoveTheWorld@ITSA_HQ@wtasocials@SantaCruzTur @yentumountain @pn_losglaciares@SoudahDevCo@Shennongjia
The Dialogue among World Famous Mountains 2026 focused the theme of "Ecological Conservation and Pathways for Innovative Development of Famous Tourism Mountains". Representatives from mountain management bodies across China, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam practical pathways and sustainable development governance experience for the coordinated development of ecological conservation, cultural heritage preservation, and tourism industries at famous tourism mountains including Shennongjia, Mount Fitz Roy, Soudah Peak, Danxia Mountain, and Yên Tử Mountain. The roundtable was hosted by Xu Jing, Former Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific of UN Tourism. Panelists included Soon-Hwa Wong, Ambassador for Greater China at Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA); Tiger Wu, Founding Chairman of the International Tourism Studies Association and Member of IMTA Expert Committee; Federico Mattei, Sustainable Food Systems Specialist at Mountain Partnership Secretariat (MPS) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); Zhao Zhonghua, Chief Representative of the Beijing Representative Office, World Animal Protection; and Anu Kumari Lama, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)-nominated speaker for the event. Together they explored the way to balance tourism development with ecological protection.
#IMTA #International #NEWS #Events #mountain #hiking #ecological #hiking #tourism #IMTD
@UNmountains@icimod@nepalmountains@nepalcanyoning@PATA_HQ@UNWTO_pub@UNWTO@MoveTheWorld@ITSA_HQ@wtasocial
Annapurna Peak and Shennongjia Forestry District formally exchanged the Letter of Intent to Establish a Sister Mountains Relationship, establishing a "Sister Mountains" partnership. The two destinations will collaborate on sustainable tourism research, joint promotion, heritage protection and utilization.
#IMTA #International #NEWS #Events #mountain #hiking #ecological #hiking #tourism #IMTD
@UNmountains@icimod@nepalmountains@nepalcanyoning@PATA_HQ@UNWTO_pub@UNWTO@MoveTheWorld@ITSA_HQ@wtasocials
Zhou Jun, District Chief of Shennongjia Forestry District, released the Shennongjia Declaration, calling on the global tourism community and mountain travelers to protect nature with reverence, preserve heritage with ingenuity, advance collaboration with openness, and ensure shared prosperity for all.
#IMTA #International #NEWS #Events #mountain #hiking #ecological #hiking #tourism #IMTD
@UNmountains@icimod@nepalmountains@nepalcanyoning@PATA_HQ@UNWTO_pub@UNWTO@MoveTheWorld@ITSA_HQ@wtasocials
Official inauguration of the International Mountain Tourism Day 2026. Distinguished guests poured five grains into the "Mountain Forest Basin" containing seedlings of the Qinling fir—revered as a "living fossil" among plants, thereby advocating for global efforts in the protection and cultivation of endangered species.
#IMTA #International #NEWS #Events #mountain #hiking #ecological #hiking #tourism #IMTD
@UNmountains@icimod@nepalmountains@nepalcanyoning@PATA_HQ@UNWTO_pub@UNWTO@MoveTheWorld@ITSA_HQ@wtasocials
International Mountain Tourism Day 2026 Theme Events Open in Shennongjia
Safeguarding World Heritage Mountains, Shaping a Sustainable Future Together
The International Mountain Tourism Day 2026 Theme Events opened on 29 May in Shennongjia, Hubei Province. With the theme "Preserving World Heritage, Sharing the Prosperity of Famous Mountains — Zhiyin Hubei, Mysterious Shennongjia", the gathering brought together representatives from international organizations, foreign embassies and consulates in China, cultural and tourism authorities, industry leaders, experts and scholars, and media professionals from around the world. The program featured the opening ceremony and the Dialogue among World Famous Mountains 2026 as its main part, complemented by the Mountain Culture and Tourism Exhibition, IMTA Night of Shennongjia, the Investment and Business Meeting for Mountain Culture and Tourism, and other events.
The Theme Events is organized by IMTA, and carried out jointly by the Department of Culture and Tourism of Hubei Province, the Shennongjia Forestry District People's Government, Hubei Cultural Tourism Group, and the IMTA Secretariat, with support from international organizations, including UN Tourism, the Mountain Partnership Secretariat (MPS) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the World Tourism Alliance (WTA), the World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF), the ASEAN - China Centre, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), and the Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF).
The opening ceremony featured addresses by Dang Zhen, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC Hubei Provincial Committee; He Yafei, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of IMTA; Natalia Bayona, UN Tourism Executive Director; Wu Zhimin, Assistant Director-General and Forestry Division Director, FAO; Khalil-ur-Rahman Hashimi, Pakistani Ambassador to China; Roshan Khanal, Chargé d'Affaires and Minister, Embassy of Nepal in China; Tao Congrui, Deputy Director of Tourism Quality Supervision and Management Office, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China; and Xu Peng, Vice Chairman of WTA. Ke Ke, Director of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Hubei Province, presided.
The kick-off ceremony was inspired by Shennongjia's folk tradition of gratitude for the five grains. Guests poured the five grains into the "Mountain Forest Basin" containing seedlings of the Qinling fir—revered as a "living fossil" among plants, thereby advocating for global efforts in the protection and cultivation of endangered species. Zhou Jun, District Chief of Shennongjia Forestry District, released the Shennongjia Declaration, calling on the global tourism community and mountain travelers to protect nature with reverence, preserve heritage with ingenuity, advance collaboration with openness, and ensure shared prosperity for all.
Liu Zhaohui, Vice Chairman of IMTA, issued plaques to two new "World Famous Tourism Mountains" designated by IMTA—Wuyi Mountain and Shennongjia of China. Annapurna Peak and Shennongjia Forestry District formally exchanged the Letter of Intent to Establish a Sister Mountains Relationship, establishing a "Sister Mountains" partnership. The two destinations will collaborate on sustainable tourism research, joint promotion, heritage protection and utilization.
The Dialogue among World Famous Mountains 2026 focused the theme of "Ecological Conservation and Pathways for Innovative Development of Famous Tourism Mountains". Representatives from mountain management bodies across China, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam practical pathways and sustainable development governance experience for the coordinated development of ecological conservation, cultural heritage preservation, and tourism industries at famous tourism mountains including Shennongjia, Mount Fitz Roy, Soudah Peak, Danxia Mountain, and Yen Tu Mountain. The roundtable was hosted by Xu Jing, Former Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific of UN Tourism. Panelists included Soon-Hwa Wong, Ambassador for Greater China at PATA; Tiger Wu, Founding Chairman of the International Tourism Studies Association and Member of IMTA Expert Committee; Federico Mattei, Sustainable Food Systems Specialist at MPS of FAO; Zhao Zhonghua, Chief Representative of the Beijing Representative Office, World Animal Protection; and Anu Kumari Lama, ICIMOD-nominated speaker for the event. Together they explored the way to balance tourism development with ecological protection.
#IMTA #International #NEWS #Events #mountain #hiking #ecological #hiking #tourism #IMTD @UNmountains@icimod@nepalmountains@nepalcanyoning@PATA_HQ@UNWTO_pub@UNWTO@MoveTheWorld@ITSA_HQ@wtasocials
🎉 Only 1 DAY to go! ⏳🏔️
International Mountain Tourism Day 2026 is tomorrow — 29 May in the magical **Shennongjia, Hubei Province, China!
Under the powerful theme:
“Preserving World Heritage, Sharing the Prosperity of Famous Mountains – Zhiyin Hubei, Mysterious Shennongjia”
Tomorrow we gather global voices to celebrate sustainable mountain tourism, ecological protection, and the shared future of our world’s iconic peaks.
The mountains are calling — and tomorrow we answer with action, inspiration, and unity for a greener, more prosperous future.
See you in Shennongjia! 🌍💚
#IMTA #InternationalMountainTourismDay #Shennongjia #MountainTourism #SustainableTourism #WorldHeritage
Let’s make tomorrow unforgettable! 🚀
If you need any last-minute promo support, visuals, or messages, just say the word!
Exciting! Only 2 days to go!⏳🏔️
The countdown is on for International Mountain Tourism Day 2026 on 29 May in the breathtaking Shennongjia, Hubei Province, China .
This year’s theme — “Preserving World Heritage, Sharing the Prosperity of Famous Mountains – Zhiyin Hubei, Mysterious Shennongjia” — perfectly captures the spirit of protecting these natural treasures while creating shared prosperity through sustainable tourism.
Highlights to look forward to:
🏔️ Opening Ceremony
🌿 Dialogue among World Famous Mountains 2026
✨ IMTA Night of Shennongjia
🤝 Cultural & Tourism Exchanges
It’s wonderful to see global leaders, organizations, and experts coming together to focus on ecological protection, sustainable development, and the bright future of mountain tourism.
Mountains truly do connect people, cultures, and nature — and events like this help ensure that connection thrives responsibly for generations to come. Wishing the entire IMTA team and all participants a hugely successful and inspiring day in Shennongjia! 🌍💚 #IMTA #InternationalMountainTourismDay #Shennongjia #SustainableTourism #WorldHeritage
📌 Weining Caohai, Bijie, Guizhou
🕊️ One of the world's top 10 birdwatching destinations
🌿 Unique plateau karst wetland ecosystem with a lush "underwater forest"
🚶♂️ Stunning hiking route: From Xihai Pier to Jiangjiawan,then to Beipo Park
#WeiningCaohai#GuizhouTravel #Birdwatching #Wetland #Hiking #NaturePhotography #ChinaTravel #Outdoor #EcologicalTourism #fyp #Wanderlust #TravelPhotography
🌍 Mountains connect people, culture and nature.
The main event of International Mountain Tourism Day 2026 will take place on 29 May in Shennongjia, Hubei Province, China, under the theme:
"Preserving World Heritage, Sharing the Prosperity of Famous Mountains – Zhiyin Hubei, Mysterious Shennongjia"
Bringing together global organisations, industry leaders and experts, the event will explore sustainable development, ecological protection and the future of mountain tourism.
🏔️ Opening Ceremony
🌿 Dialogue among World Famous Mountains 2026
✨ IMTA Night of Shennongjia
🤝 Cultural & tourism exchanges
Join us in shaping a greener future for mountain tourism.
#IMTA #InternationalMountainTourismDay #Shennongjia #MountainTourism #SustainableTourism #WorldHeritage
📌 Mount Heng (Nanyue), Hengyang, China
⛰️The graceful wonder among the Five Sacred Mountains, famed as the mountain of longevity
🛕 Sacred land where Buddhism and Taoism thrive side by side
🚶Classic hiking route: From Fanyin Ancient Path to Zhurong Peak. Then to Zeng Guofan Ancient Path
#NanyueHengshan #MountHeng #Hengyang #Hiking #ChinaTravel #FiveGreatMountains #Nature #Culture #TravelGuide #fyp #Outdoor #Mountains #Wanderlust
🌍 Mountains connect people, culture and nature.
The main event of International Mountain Tourism Day 2026 will take place on 29 May in Shennongjia, Hubei Province, China, under the theme:
"Preserving World Heritage, Sharing the Prosperity of Famous Mountains – Zhiyin Hubei, Mysterious Shennongjia"
Bringing together global organisations, industry leaders and experts, the event will explore sustainable development, ecological protection and the future of mountain tourism.
🏔️ Opening Ceremony
🌿 Dialogue among World Famous Mountains 2026
✨ IMTA Night of Shennongjia
🤝 Cultural & tourism exchanges
Join us in shaping a greener future for mountain tourism.
#IMTA #InternationalMountainTourismDay #Shennongjia #MountainTourism #SustainableTourism #WorldHeritage
🌍 Mountains connect people, culture and nature.
The main event of International Mountain Tourism Day 2026 will take place on 29 May in Shennongjia, Hubei Province, China, under the theme:
"Preserving World Heritage, Sharing the Prosperity of Famous Mountains – Zhiyin Hubei, Mysterious Shennongjia"
Bringing together global organisations, industry leaders and experts, the event will explore sustainable development, ecological protection and the future of mountain tourism.
🏔️ Opening Ceremony
🌿 Dialogue among World Famous Mountains 2026
✨ IMTA Night of Shennongjia
🤝 Cultural & tourism exchanges
Join us in shaping a greener future for mountain tourism.
#IMTA #InternationalMountainTourismDay #Shennongjia #MountainTourism #SustainableTourism #WorldHeritage