On May 29, 2021, the 2021 International Mountain Tourism Day World Heritage Mountains (Jinfo Mountain) Summit was held in Nanchuan, Chongqing. At the summit, Mr. Serge KOENIG, an expert from the International Mountain Tourism Alliance (IMTA) Expert Committee, officially released the International Mountain Tourism Hiking Guide as a representative. The guide was initiated by the International Mountain Tourism Alliance and developed with technical support from professional organizations such as the European Ramblers Association and the French Hiking Federation.

Hiking is the most widely participated mountain outdoor activity globally and a significant component of mountain tourism. Its scope can range from as small as a village or a city to as large as a country, a continent, or even the entire world. Hiking is regarded as a powerful tool for local economic development and poverty alleviation through mountain tourism, generating substantial economic and social benefits. At the same time, hiking activities can enhance regional attractiveness and the happiness index of life, contributing to the harmonious development of humans and nature.

Hiking is highly integrative and can serve as a lever to drive comprehensive tourism. It can be combined with mass sightseeing, nature education, cultural experiences, rural tourism, outdoor sports, geological research, luxury wilderness vacations, and parent-child entertainment, creating innovative "hiking+" formats. Along hiking routes, natural campsites, research bases, outdoor sports parks, and micro-tourism destinations can be developed to achieve a true mountain vacation landscape.

The hiking industry varies significantly in development levels across the globe. Developed countries such as those in Europe and America have established a relatively sound standard system through years of accumulation. In contrast, in China and most other countries or regions outside Europe and America, the hiking industry is still in its infancy. There is an urgent need for a systematic and comprehensive mountain tourism hiking standard as guidance to provide technical and institutional norms for the sustainable development of the hiking industry and to establish industry benchmarks and international standards.

The International Mountain Tourism Hiking Guide is the first technical guide with a global perspective and high standards, providing practical references and guidance for developing hiking tourism products in mountain tourism destinations. The guide will offer decision-making basis, theoretical guidance, and practical methods for planning, operating, and managing hiking tourism products in mountain scenic areas and destinations worldwide. It will also help local governments, tourism bureaus, hiking associations, clubs, and other responsible parties promote the implementation of hiking projects and identify suitable operational and management approaches.

As the inaugural content of the International Mountain Tourism Alliance's "Mountain Tourism Standardization" system, the International Mountain Tourism Hiking Guide will guide the quality certification of hiking trails in the future. The alliance will globally solicit "IMTA International Mountain Tourism Hiking Guide Demonstration Sites" to promote the healthy development of the hiking industry at an international level, encourage public participation in hiking, and make it a lifelong health activity that benefits everyone.

Click to download→Full text of "International Guidebook for the Development of Hiking"

 International Guidebood for the Development of Hiking (Territory & Trails) Part 1.pdf

 International Guidebood for the Development of Hiking (Territory & Trails) Part 2.pdf