Travel to mountain ecosystems is increasing at a rapid pace, as growing numbers of tourists are attracted to the clean air, unique landscapes and wildlife, scenic beauty, culture, history and recreational opportunites. While this growth provides important benefits to local communities and national economies, the very popularity of mountain areas also poses a potential threat to the health of their natural and cultural resources.

Mountains which make up nearly a quarter of all land area on Earth and are home to at least 12 percent of the world's human population, contain a wide variety of habitats, many of which have extremely high levels of unique and rich biodiversity.

This Guide to Good Practice , the latest in a series to help the tourism sector integrate sustainability into its business offers a key resource for operators and purchasers of mountain recreational tours.