A ceremony to mark International Mountain Tourism Day is held in Shennongjia, Hubei province, on May 29. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Two Chinese mountains were officially recognized as "World Tourism Mountains" on May 29 during celebrations to mark International Mountain Tourism Day. The recognition is part of global efforts to balance ecological conservation with sustainable tourism development.

The designations were announced at the opening ceremony of the annual event, held in Shennongjia, Hubei province, under the theme "Protecting World Heritage, Sharing the Benefits of Famous Mountains".

At the ceremony, Liu Zhaohui, vice-chairman of the International Mountain Tourism Alliance (IMTA), presented World Tourism Mountain certificates to representatives from Shennongjia and Wuyi Mountain in Fujian province.

He Yafei, vice-chairman and secretary-general of the IMTA, described Shennongjia as a model of balancing conservation and development. He said the UNESCO World Heritage site has protected biodiversity and intact forest ecosystems while advancing tourism, offering what he called a Chinese approach to the protection and sustainable use of mountain resources.

Another highlight of the event was the signing of a sister-mountain partnership between Shennongjia and Nepal's Annapurna region. Representatives from the two mountains exchanged cooperation agreements aimed at strengthening collaboration in sustainable tourism research, destination promotion, and ecological conservation.

"As mountain tourism continues to expand worldwide, balancing ecological protection with tourism development and ensuring the sustainable stewardship of World Heritage resources have become central challenges facing the global mountain tourism sector," Liu said at the accompanying World Famous Mountains Dialogue.

He stressed that environmental conservation must remain the foundation of mountain tourism, while innovation and community participation are essential to its long-term sustainability.

Speaking at the opening ceremony via video link, Natalia Bayona, executive director of the United Nations Tourism Organization, said cooperation between UN Tourism and the IMTA demonstrates tourism's role in protecting mountain ecosystems, supporting local economies, and improving livelihoods.

She described Shennongjia as "an inspiring example", where nature conservation and community empowerment advance hand-in-hand.

The International Mountain Tourism Day initiative was launched by the IMTA in 2018. Since 2019, related events have been held in countries including China, Nepal, Laos, France, and Spain, serving as a platform for international exchanges and cooperation on sustainable mountain tourism.