At the first World Famous Mountains Academic Research Symposium, currently being held on Mount Lu, multiple representatives of famous mountains pointed out that as people's lifestyles change, returning to nature and exploring the unknown have become new trends in tourism. Preventing the overdevelopment of famous mountains around the world and preserving their original natural beauty and sense of sacredness are especially important.
Some newer famous mountains have long since lost their former tranquility, attracting numerous tourists from China and abroad, and gradually losing their original beauty and sense of sacredness. Traditional famous mountains, on the other hand, have long been trapped in the vicious cycle of the "ticket economy," neglecting improvements to the tourist experience.
“We don’t necessarily have to overly restrict visitors from ascending the mountains, but protection must come first. We need to ensure that visitors have a thorough understanding of the famous mountains they plan to visit, and encourage them to approach these mountains with the most reverent hearts,” said Chen Longsheng, honorary chairman of the Taiwan Yushan Park Exchange Association.
It is understood that the Yushan scenic area is fully funded by local government finances, and visitors do not need to purchase tickets, making it a destination every Taiwanese person visits. Although no ticket is required, before visiting Yushan, tourists must complete an online course called “Navigating Yushan.” Only after obtaining a passing certification can they go directly to climb the mountain. Those who do not receive a certificate must undergo on-site training before entering the scenic area.
“I believe that public participation is just as important as government and expert involvement in the management of famous mountains,” said Chen Longsheng. In recent years, the number of visitors to Yushan has increased year by year, but Yushan implements mountain closure conservation measures annually to allow the land time to rest and recover. Before these conservation closures, large numbers of volunteers go up the mountain to “clean the mountain,” removing all litter.
Zhang Jixun, a professor at Seiwa University in Japan, explained that in Japan, mountains have since ancient times been revered as sacred sites of the gods. Photos of Mount Fuji can be seen everywhere in Japan, and when passing by Mount Fuji by train from a distance, every Japanese person will put down what they are doing and take out their cameras or phones to take pictures. “It is precisely this pilgrim-like mindset that makes everyone who visits Mount Fuji cherish even more everything that nature has bestowed.”
Yang Na, deputy secretary-general of the Oceania region for the World Famous Mountains Association, believes: “Sustainable tourism such as nature tourism, ecotourism, and cultural tourism is becoming increasingly popular and will become ‘mainstream’ in the next decade.” She said that both the management departments of famous mountains and tourists should have a clear understanding of the impact of tourism on these mountains and develop and approach them responsibly.