Date: 09/September/2025
Global Experts Gather in Yichang for Gorge, Canyon & Fjord Tourism Summit
On September 6, the Gorge, Canyon & Fjord Tourism Summit officially opened in Yichang as a highlight of the 16th China Yangtze River Three Gorges International Tourism Festival. Nearly 200 scholars, specialists, and industry leaders from China, Austria, Italy, East Africa, and beyond convened to explore topics including ecological preservation, cultural collaboration, and destination branding.
A major achievement of the event was the release of the Yichang Declaration on Sustainable Tourism Development in Gorge, Canyon and Fjord Regions. The declaration offers a roadmap for protecting and developing these landscapes, embedding what participants called “Yichang Wisdom” into the global dialogue on sustainable tourism.
Delegates also immersed themselves in Yichang’s culture and hospitality, joining a Yangtze River evening cruise and attending the festival’s opening ceremony, both of which showcased the city’s blend of tradition and modern vitality.
Several leading voices shared insights during the summit:
• Professor Karl Wöber, Chair of the Board at the International Academy for the Study of Tourism, emphasized Yichang’s rich ecological and cultural assets. He stated that the city has tremendous potential to become a global benchmark for sustainable tourism in gorge, canyon, and fjord regions.
• Professor Wu Bihu, Founding President of the International Tourism Academy and head of the Geotourism Branch of the China Tourism Association, began by highlighting the profound cultural heritage of China's Yangtze River Three Gorges. He elaborated on the unique value of "place writing" in shaping the tourism brand of canyon areas and introduced the innovative concept of "Gorge, Canyon and Fjord (GCF) Tourism" for the first time.
• Professor Simone Bianco, of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management, proposed viewing canyons as tourism “platforms” rather than single products. He unveiled the Canyon Strategy Stack (CSS) framework, which combines strategy, visitor flow design, and safety systems to align environmental stewardship with visitor satisfaction.
The event was held under the guidance of the International Tourism Studies Association (ITSA) and jointly organized by the Hubei Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the Yichang Municipal People’s Government, and the China Geotourism and Nature-Based Tourism Association.
Beyond academic exchange, the summit marked a turning point in bringing together global efforts on gorge, canyon, and fjord tourism. What was once fragmented development is now moving toward greater collaboration and shared vision. With the momentum generated in Yichang, the city is set to play an increasingly central role in advancing international partnerships and steering the sector toward a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future.