The Mountain Tourism and Rural Revitalization Forum was successfully held in Lisbon, Portugal, on June 2nd, local time. Chinese representatives, including Song Xiaolu, a member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director General (Director-general level) of the Guizhou Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, and Wen Weiya, Assistant Secretary-General of the International Mountain Tourism Alliance, engaged in in-depth discussions with Rui Cordeiro, Member of the Lisbon City Council, Teresa Pouzada, Executive Director of the Associação de Desenvolvimento Regional Integrado das Terras de Santa Maria (ADRITEM), along with industry association leaders and tourism enterprise representatives. Together, they shared insights and wisdom to contribute to the sustainable development of global mountain tourism.
scene from the event
Song Xiaolu, a member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director General (Director-general level) of the Guizhou Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, introduced the mountainous natural and cultural resources of Guizhou at the meeting, showcasing the infinite charm and potential of mountain tourism in the province. In recent years, Guizhou has actively developed comprehensive tourism based on its karst mountain landscapes, promoting the transformation of mountain resources into ecological products. The province has innovated in outdoor sports, cultural experiences, and other sectors, creating internationally recognized rural event brands such as the “Village BA.” He extended a warm invitation to the Portuguese tourism industry to participate in the International Conference of Mountain Tourism and Outdoor Sports 2025, which will be held in Guizhou this September, and emphasized that Guizhou will continue to optimize its inbound tourism policies, looking forward to working with the Portuguese tourism industry to showcase the “Mountain Miracles” of Guizhou.
Speech by Song Xiaolu, a member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director General (Director-general level) of the Guizhou Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism
Assistant Secretary-General of the International Mountain Tourism Alliance, Wen Weiya, introduced the core mission and development history of the Alliance. In recent years, the Alliance has continuously enriched its dialogue channels and established a variety of communication platforms, including “International Mountain Tourism Day,” the IMTA Annual Conference and Forum, the Dialogue Among World Famous Mountains, and the Mountain Tourism Promotion Conference. These initiatives have played a positive role in deepening international cooperation and promoting mutual learning of experiences. The seventh “International Mountain Tourism Day,” successfully held on May 29 in Gran Canaria, Spain, centered around the theme “Embracing Mountains and Seas, Coexisting with Cultures—Mountain Tourism and Cultural Inclusiveness for the Future.” The event brought together a diverse group of prestigious international organizations, government officials, industry leaders, experts, and scholars, and media professionals from around the world, exploring the path of inclusive, reciprocal, and shared development for global mountain tourism, further expanding the influence of the Alliance. Wen Wei expressed the hope that today’s exchange would deepen mutual trust and cooperation with the Portuguese tourism industry, injecting new momentum into the revitalization of mountain villages and rural communities.
Speech by Wen Weiya, Assistant Secretary-General of the International Mountain Tourism Alliance
Rui Cordeiro, the Lisbon City Councilor, warmly welcomed the Chinese delegation. He highlighted the importance of urban green spaces in enhancing the quality of life for residents, promoting sustainable tourism, and fostering community integration, using the Monsanto Forest Park, known as “the lungs of Lisbon,” as an example. He expressed the hope that this exchange would further strengthen cooperation and the sharing of experiences between China and Portugal in the fields of green tourism and the utilization of public spaces. Teresa Pouzada, the Executive Director of the Associação de Desenvolvimento Regional Integrado das Terras de Santa Maria (ADRITEM), pointed out that a governance structure based on culture and centered around communities is an effective approach to achieving the deep integration of rural revitalization and eco-tourism.
Rui Cordeiro, City Councilor of Lisbon
Teresa Pouzada, Executive Director of the Portuguese Rural Development Association (ADRITEM)
Zou Jian, Director of the Rural Cultural & Tourism Division at the Guizhou Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, and José Pedro Calheiros, Director of SAL Sistemas de Ar Livre, a Portuguese outdoor tourism service provider, shared examples of how mountain tourism has driven local economic development from different perspectives.
Speech by Zou Jian, Director of the Rural Cultural & Tourism Division, Guizhou Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism
José Pedro Calheiros, Director of SAL Outdoor Tourism Service Provider in Portugal
The Mountain Tourism and Rural Revitalization Forum, organized by the International Mountain Tourism Alliance, demonstrated the powerful ability of tourism to transcend geographical boundaries and connect cultures. It has jointly propelled the mountain tourism and rural revitalization efforts of both China and Portugal to new heights. The unique mountain resources of Guizhou and its innovative rural cultural tourism model have encountered Lisbon’s maritime culture, together marking the beginning of a new chapter in deep cooperation between China and Portugal in the field of mountain tourism.
Visited the International Mountain Tourism Alliance member organization, the Portuguese Association of Rural Development
During their visit to Portugal, the Chinese delegation visited a member organization of IMTA, the RUDE—Associação de Desenvolvimen to Rural. They held in-depth discussions with the association’s president, Carlos Pinto, on the integration of leisure agriculture and mountain tourism development. The delegation also presented the “World Famous Tourism Mountain” plaque to the Serra da Estrela.