Guizhou, a mountainous province in Southwest China, will further draw on Switzerland's expertise to foster more international tourism professionals, as it strives to develop its high-quality mountain tourism sector and attract more foreign visitors.

The Guizhou Tourism Industry Development Group signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding with Switzerland's EHL Hospitality Business School in June this year.

By introducing EHL's world-class international service standards, the partnership will effectively bridge Guizhou's tourism services with the expectations of international visitors, boosting the comfort and satisfaction of their travel experiences, EHL said.

"The international tourism professionals trained through this cooperation will have solid language skills, and demonstrate professional cross-cultural communication and understanding capabilities. They can deliver more tailored, high-quality services to meet the diverse needs of global travelers," said Feng Guanlu, director and country head of China at EHL Hospitality Business School.

The cooperation between GTIDG and EHL kicked off in 2023, forming a long-term strategic partnership that aligns with the development of Guizhou's tourism and broader hospitality sector.

The depth and scope of the collaboration have expanded in line with industry needs. Last year, the two sides co-established the China Western Cultural and Tourism Talent Training Center, and in June this year, their cooperation further extended across the entire tourism industry chain, including talent cultivation, product development, service standards and brand building.

In addition, the two sides have jointly established a comprehensive talent development system covering senior management, professional service, and technical talents. By collaborating with universities and colleges in Guizhou, they have developed specialized mountain tourism courses to cultivate a professional talent pool, laying a solid foundation for Guizhou to become a world-class tourist destination.