On 29 May, the “International Mountain Tourism Day 2023” theme events titled “Enjoy the Wonder of Mountains, Share the Beauty of Life, Revitalize the Tourism Industry” kicked off in Vientiane, Laos. The events were jointly organized by Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism of Lao PDR (MICT), International Mountain Tourism Alliance (IMTA), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), and Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF), and supported by World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), ASEAN-China Center (ACC), China NGO Network for International Exchanges (CNIE), Guizhou Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and Foreign Affairs Office. Over 250 guests from international organizations, IMTA members, and tourism institutions, culture and tourism enterprises, experts and scholars, and global media workers from Laos and other countries, gathered together to discuss the supply, market development, and solutions of mountain tourism facing the new consumer demands, explore the system of mountain tourism cooperation and governance within the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) framework, and jointly facilitate the full recovery, opening and interaction of the tourism market. Guests, from various perspectives, offered constructive and forward-looking insights on the new-stage innovation and regional development of mountain tourism. The events has aroused widespread concern in the international tourism industry.
During the opening ceremony,Peter Semone,PATA Chairman, delivered a speech.
As the Chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), I am honoured to be invited to speak here today to celebrate International Mountain Tourism Day under the theme “Enjoy the Wonder of Mountains, Share the Natural Beauty, Promote the Tourism Revitalization”.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with PATA, the Pacific Asia Travel Association is a not-for-profit membership association that acts as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. By bringing together our private and public sector members, PATA facilitates meaningful partnerships to enhance the value, quality and sustainable growth of travel and tourism in the region. Our close communication and cooperation with the International Mountain Tourism Alliance is just one example of our work towards this mission.
The International Mountain Tourism Alliance, as the only international organization in the world with a thematic positioning of mountain tourism, is committed to promoting the sustainable development of mountain tourism with the beautiful vision of "protecting mountain resources, preserving mountain civilization, promoting mountain economy, and benefiting mountain communities". How to attract more attention to mountain tourism, enter more people's lives, and achieve ecological sustainable development has been an important topic that the IMTA has been thinking and exploring.The goals of the IMTA are perfectly aligned with our mission, and in particular our belief that the travel industry is truly a force for inclusive economic growth, job creation and cultural empathy and understanding across borders.
As we all know, the pandemic has had a devastating effect on the travel industry and has drastically changed the entire tourism landscape. According to our data, the Asia Pacific region saw over 730 million international visitor arrivals in 2019. By 2020, that all changed with the virtual cessation of travel due to the pandemic.However, we are now seeing the recovery of travel in the region and according to our international visitor arrivals (IVAs) forecast released earlier this year, we predict that under the mild scenario,the return to pre-COVID levels of IVAs will occur in 2023; while under the medium scenario that is projected to occur in 2024. Nevertheless, under a severe scenario, even by the end of 2025,arrival numbers are predicted to still lag the 2019 benchmark by around 12%.These latest forecasts are extremely positive, however there are still significant challenges ahead, particularly when it comes to the issue of sustainability, which is now propelled by heightened consumer and corporate interest.
It is a critical issue for our industry and should be the main driver of our recovery. Therefore, we must consider the strong correlation between sustainable development of the local economy and mountain tourism. This is especially relevant when we see the shift in travel attitudes and behaviour towards sustainability, environmental impact, and the preservation of culture and heritage. Many mountain communities around the world have looked towards sustainable development to address the issues of environmental degradation and underdevelopment. This in turn will foster responsible tourist behaviour, conservation of important wildlife habitats, appreciation of local cultures and heritage, and a sustainable form of livelihood for people living in these remote areas. This coupled with the shift in travel behaviour highlights the many opportunities for mountain tourism,where stakeholders need to rethink development in a way that is more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient. By focusing on sustainable development in mountain tourism,the industry can help ensure a fairer distribution of the benefits from tourism to local communities. This in turn will allow these areas to become more accessible and provide a higher quality of life for local communities and the overall destination by protecting its natural resources and cultural heritage.
Therefore, as we look towards recovery, we must by unified in our commitment to building a future where tourism remains a positive tool in fuelling sustainable development and inclusive economic growth. To discuss the recovery and growth of the industry, it is essential that the benefits are enjoyed widely and fairly by all.In this regard, the need for coordinated cooperation has never been more critical, particularly for the travel and tourism industry. Working with organisations like IMTA,we can help promote the responsible and sustainable development of mountain tourism through various events and communications.
As always PATA remains committed to supporting our members and global industry colleagues to build a more resilient, responsible, and sustainable global travel and tourism industry. This can only be done by working together and focusing on plans for responsible development that take into consideration elements for generating inclusive growth.I hope that many of you can support us in this mission.
