Mountain tourism is a major feature of Switzerland’s tourism industry, attracting numerous visitors every year. At the China Tibet Development Forum held in Lhasa, Tibet, Kölbl from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland said that many mountains in the Tibetan region are even more beautiful than those in Switzerland. The various well-established mountain activities in Switzerland could help Tibet retain more visitors.
“For example, in the mountainous regions of Switzerland, the most important aspect of this type of mountain tourism is helping develop remote rural areas. This is very important because it can improve the living standards of local villagers, and it also has a positive impact on environmental protection. Tourists prefer to visit places with good environments, which can motivate locals to protect their surroundings.”
Tibet boasts unique mountain tourism resources, but the concept of mountain activities remains quite unfamiliar to local Tibetans and the majority of inland tourists. Kölbl said that local governments can learn from Switzerland’s experience in this area by organizing diverse and rich mountain activities, thereby encouraging visitors to stay longer and maximizing the economic benefits brought by tourism.
“In Switzerland, these activities are often organized through rural cooperatives — for example, one family might run a guesthouse while another opens a restaurant. Another important point is that many Tibetans are now building new houses and tearing down old ones, but tourists might actually prefer staying in traditional houses. So my suggestion is, if there are already old houses available, renovating them costs much less and you’ve got a place to stay right away — so you can start with minimal investment. And if rural communities work together collaboratively, the chances of success are even higher.”
Kölbl believes that developing tourism in mountainous areas also requires comprehensive planning and design as well as professional training services for tourists, in order to enhance visitors’ experience and create safe, high-quality mountain activities.
In recent years, Tibet’s tourism industry has developed rapidly. According to statistics from the Tibet Autonomous Region’s tourism department, in the first half of this year, Tibet received over 4 million domestic and international tourists, a year-on-year increase of nearly 20%, generating total tourism revenue of more than 4 billion yuan. Tourism is expected to become a pillar industry for Tibet’s economic development. To achieve this, it is particularly important to learn from the advanced practices of tourism industries within China and abroad, improve service levels, increase tourism offerings, and expand the marginal benefits brought by tourism. In this sense, the suggestions from our foreign friend Kölbl are worth considering.