Date
- Nov 15 2025
Time
Beijing Time- 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Languages
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Professor at the School of Tourism, Sichuan University; Academic and Technological Leader of Sichuan Province; Vice Chair of the Tourism Geography Committee of the Geographical Society of China; Member of the Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP) and the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN); Chair of the Academic Committee of the Sichuan Tourism Society; and Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Tourism Anthropology. His research interests include sustainable tourism development, adventure anthropology, and tourism evolution under major events. He has published four monographs and one translated book, and authored more than 110 academic papers in both Chinese and English. His representative works have appeared in Annals of Tourism Research, Tourism Management, Journal of Travel Research, Sustainable Development, and Society & Natural Resources. |
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Professor at Sichuan Tourism University and Director of the Research Institute of Mountain Tourism. He is the host of the National Geographic Channel (China) and a judge for the world’s highest mountaineering award, the Piolets d’Or. Named one of China’s Top 10 Explorers in 2016, Liu has spent over three decades exploring and researching the Tibetan mountain ranges. He has served as Senior Advisor to the Siguniangshan Scenic Area Administration for 20 years and led the creation of China’s first community-based mountain tourism management standard. His research focuses on cultural heritage management, mountain tourism, sociocultural impacts, Himalayan adventure, and high-altitude nutrition. In 2023, he rowed across the Atlantic Ocean (5,460 km, 54 days) and later the Indian Ocean (8,500 km, 65 days), becoming part of the first team ever to achieve the latter. He has published over 70 academic papers and several books on outdoor and mountain culture. |
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Miya is the Partner & Project Manager for the Asia-Pacific region at the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) — the leading global network connecting over 30,000 adventure travel professionals, including tour operators, destinations, gear brands, and media, all committed to transforming travel into a force for good. In her role, Miya fosters cross-cultural collaboration across the region through industry partnerships, learning programs, and community events. She has led and participated in projects across Shanghai, Japan, Fiji, Bangkok, Singapore, and beyond, curating meaningful exchanges that strengthen the adventure travel ecosystem. Holding a Master’s degree in Tourism Management and fluent in Chinese, English, and Spanish, Miya brings a global perspective to her work. She believes that adventure travel continues to embody humanity’s spirit of exploration and creativity — rooted in co-creation, where travelers, businesses, and communities collectively generate value and meaningful experiences. |
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Dr. Dong received his PhD in Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management (Leisure Studies) from Pennsylvania State University in 2006. He is also affiliated with Shanghai University of Sport (China), Shenyang University of Sport (China), Shandong University (China), Huanggang Normal University, Xi'an Eurasia University (China), University of Ryukyus (Japan), Kyung Hee University (Korea), University of KawaZulu-Natal (South Africa), and New York University as distinguished professor, research professor, honorary professor, guest professor and visiting professor and so on. He is not only internationally well-known in the field but also has extensive industry connections with VISA China, NBA China, US Embassy in Beijing, US Department of Commerce, Brand USA, Tourism Australia, JTB, Visit Portugal, and so on. He organized a total of 10 international conferences for Chinese universities. |
![]() | Li Cheng Moderator |
![]() | Yong Liu Panelist |
![]() | Miya Liu Panelist |
![]() | Erwei Dong Panelist |
Local Time
- Timezone: America/New_York
- Date: Nov 14 2025
- Time: 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Volume 74
This panel explores the social significance of contemporary adventure travel as an embodiment and a driving force of humanity’s enduring spirit of exploration and creativity. This form of tourism includes not only life-challenging expeditions and high-altitude climbs, but also exploration of unfamiliar environments. The panelists will examine how adventure travel transcends the realm of personal idealism to become a catalyst for cross-cultural understanding, ethnic reconciliation, and community sustainability. Its process encompasses transformative experiences and the inspirational influence their journeys exert on young people and society at large. Adventure travel organizations are increasingly working to unite global communities through shared experiences, advocate responsible practices, and promote the environmental, cultural, and economic dimensions of sustainability. This panel will reflect on how humanity’s innate drive for adventure empowers one to step into the unknown, break conventions, cultivate resilience, and serve as a vital source of human creativity.
Kazem Vafadari
Miya Liu
Erwei Dong
Kazem Vafadari
Registration