On May 29, the 2026 International Mountain Tourism Day Theme Events opened in Shennongjia Forestry District, Hubei Province. Themed "Preserving World Heritage, Sharing the Prosperity of Famous Mountains — Zhiyin Hubei, Mysterious Shennongjia," the event brought together international organizations, foreign embassies and consulates in China, industry experts, and media representatives from around the world to explore pathways for the coordinated development of ecological protection and cultural tourism. The program featured the Opening Ceremony, the 2026 Dialogue among World Famous Mountains, the Investment and Business Meeting for Mountain Culture and Tourism, and a series of other events. Guests participated in various formats, sharing cutting-edge ideas and deepening practical cooperation. Soon-Hwa Wong, PATA Ambassador for Greater China, shared his views at the “Dialogue among World Famous Mountains 2026” Roundtable Dialogue session.

The following is his views:

This is a very important question because mountain tourism today is no longer just about scenery. Around the world — and especially across Asia Pacific — we are witnessing a profound shift in what travelers actually want from mountain destinations. And this shift is not temporary. It is structural. So perhaps the key question for destinations like Shennongjia is no longer: "How do we attract more visitors?" But rather: "How do we create deeper, more meaningful mountain experiences while protecting what makes the destination special in the first place?"

Let me share three major demand shifts we are observing across the Asia-Pacific region.

1. From Sightseeing to Transformation

In the past, mountain tourism was often about taking photographs, enjoying cooler weather, and simply "checking off" famous attractions. Today, travelers want something much deeper. They are increasingly seeking wellness, emotional renewal, personal growth, mindfulness, and reconnection with nature. In other words, mountains are becoming places of healing — not just sightseeing. And this trend accelerated significantly after COVID. Many travelers today are stressed, digitally overloaded, and urban-fatigued. They are searching for experiences that help them slow down and rebalance mentally and physically.

That is why globally we are seeing rapid growth in forest wellness, meditation retreats, hiking with purpose, digital detox programs, sleep tourism, and nature-based healing experiences. For destinations like Shennongjia, this creates tremendous opportunity. The competitive advantage is no longer just beautiful landscapes. It is the ability to deliver serenity, authenticity, biodiversity, clean air, and emotional transformation. So product innovation should move beyond traditional sightseeing packages. Instead, think about wellness trails, forest therapy experiences, guided biodiversity immersion, stargazing programs, slow travel itineraries, traditional Chinese wellness integration, and multi-day regenerative experiences. The future traveler does not just want to "see" the mountain. They want to feel changed by it.

2. From Mass Tourism to Meaningful & Responsible Tourism

The second major shift is equally important. Today's travelers — especially younger generations and high-value travelers — are becoming far more conscious about sustainability and authenticity. Many no longer want overcrowded destinations. In fact, overcrowding now damages perceived value. Travelers increasingly ask: Is this destination protected? Is tourism benefiting local communities? Is the experience authentic? Or has it become overly commercialized?

Ironically, exclusivity and preservation are now becoming luxury assets. And this has major implications for destinations like Shennongjia. Because protecting the ecosystem is no longer just an environmental issue. It is becoming a market competitiveness issue. So visitor capacity management becomes critical. Sometimes, limiting numbers can actually increase destination value and visitor satisfaction. We are seeing this globally: Bhutan focuses on "high value, low impact." Japan carefully manages sensitive nature areas. Even popular alpine destinations in Europe are introducing controls to preserve visitor experience.

So for Shennongjia, capacity control should not be viewed negatively. It should be positioned as protecting ecological integrity, enhancing exclusivity, improving experience quality, and ensuring long-term sustainability. Technology can help greatly here. For example, timed entry systems, AI-based visitor flow management, smart mobility, digital crowd monitoring, and reservation systems. In the future, the smartest destinations may not be the ones with the most visitors — but the ones that manage visitors best.

3. From Passive Tourism to Immersive Experiences

The third shift is the growing demand for immersion. Travelers today want stories. They want participation. They want emotional connection. Especially in mountain destinations, travelers increasingly seek local culture, indigenous traditions, conservation learning, outdoor adventure, and hands-on experiences. This is where Shennongjia has enormous untapped potential. Because Shennongjia is not only about mountains. It has mythology, biodiversity, rare wildlife, traditional culture, wellness heritage, and a strong sense of mystery and identity. These are powerful experiential assets.

So the future is not simply building more attractions. It is about curating layered experiences. For example, guided ecological storytelling, wildlife interpretation, local cultural immersion, wellness and TCM integration, educational conservation tourism, photography expeditions, seasonal programs, and night-time nature experiences. Experience enhancement today is increasingly about "creating emotional memory." Because memorable experiences drive stronger visitor satisfaction, higher spending, longer stays, and social media advocacy.

Concluding Thoughts

So let me conclude with this. The future of mountain tourism is not about competing on size or visitor numbers. It is about competing on meaning, quality, sustainability, and emotional value. And I believe destinations like Shennongjia are actually very well positioned for this new era. Why? Because the world is moving toward exactly what Shennongjia naturally possesses: nature, wellness, authenticity, biodiversity, and cultural depth.

The real challenge now is not whether demand exists. The real challenge is: How do we protect these assets while designing experiences sophisticated enough for the next generation of global travelers? If done correctly, mountain tourism can become not only an economic driver — but also a model for sustainable and meaningful tourism development across Asia Pacific. Thank you.

Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Congxiao

Editor Ⅱ: Zhang Wenwen

Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong