As a symbol of Chinese culture and a world cultural heritage, Mutianyu Great Wall, renowned for its "unrivaled scenery" and international protocol heritage, serves as a vital bridge for cultural exchanges between China and foreign nations. In 2025, anchoring the goal of being "Beijing's business card for foreign exchanges", the scenic area achieved remarkable heights in inbound tourism: it welcomed 1 million inbound visitors throughout the year, marking a year-on-year surge of 60%. As the only Chinese attraction to win three major TripAdvisor awards simultaneously, Mutianyu ranked 6th on Tripadvisor's 25th Anniversary Best Tourist Attractions, 6th among the World's Top Attractions and 2nd among Asia's Top Attractions, while claiming the 2nd spot in the "Asia's Most Popular Attractions Ranking" — a testament to its outstanding strength.
In 2026, Mutianyu Great Wall embarks on a new journey. Deeply participating in Ctrip Group's "Free Beijing Half-Day Tour" program as the core experience destination for Great Wall routes, it offers free tickets to international transit passengers, allowing them to immerse themselves in the unique charm of "Mutianyu, the unparalleled section of the Great Wall."
Technology Empowerment: Building a New Smart Tourism Ecosystem
Taking technological innovation as the core driving force, the scenic area has fully upgraded its smart service system. It has built an integrated operation platform integrating smart tourism, digital marketing, intelligent services, and big data management, achieving full Wi-Fi coverage. A visual big data emergency command center has been established to monitor real-time pedestrian and vehicle dynamics, ensuring the safe and stable operation of the scenic area. As a pioneer in China to realize integrated ticket purchasing and verification with ID cards, passports, and Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan documents, the scenic area has also introduced intelligent multilingual ticket vending machines to enhance booking convenience. The intelligent navigation system has been upgraded to generate customized travel routes based on tourists' preferences and intelligently avoid crowded areas. Additionally, intelligent exoskeleton devices are provided to facilitate tours, and intelligent robots offer 24/7 interactive services such as ticket consultation and route guidance. These efforts comprehensively upgrade the digital and intelligent service level of the scenic area, bringing efficient, convenient, and smart travel experiences to visitors.
Cultural-Tourism Integration: Creating Immersive Experience Scenarios
By tapping into the unique characteristics of the scenic area and the connotation of Great Wall culture, Mutianyu has launched four-season themes — "flower viewing in spring, summer retreat in summer, leaf appreciation in autumn, and snow treading in winter." Combined with events such as off-roading and marathons, it hosts concerts, food festivals, photography competitions, and international events including the Inbound Tourism Development Conference and the "Al Bait Al Emarati" Cultural Fair to strengthen differentiated experiences. The research and study tourism ecosystem has been enhanced through interactive scenarios such as rammed earth wall construction, Great Wall architectural structure assembly, Great Wall brick making, stargazing while listening to border songs, and participating in Great Wall restoration, enabling tourists to become inheritors and communicators of Great Wall culture and spirit. The "Mutianyu Great Wall IP Flagship Store" has been established to build a new "culture + consumption + experience" model. Self-developed "Great Wall Culture +" series of cultural and creative products, covering mid-to-high-end gifts and business souvenirs, enhance the sense of ritual in travel.
International Empowerment: Polishing the Brand of "International Reception Hall"
As an important venue for international protocol receptions, the scenic area has successfully undertaken reception tasks for more than 100 international dignitaries such as Bill Clinton, John Major, and Gerhard Schröder, and supported major events including the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and the 2022 Winter Olympics. In recent years, Director-General of ICCROM Mounir Bouchenaki, UN officials, and international celebrities have listed Mutianyu as a must-visit destination in China, further highlighting the brand effect of the "international reception hall." The scenic area has deepened strategic cooperation with Huanqiu.com, Ctrip Group, and Beijing Tourism Group to achieve resource sharing, technological co-research, and value co-creation. It has also launched joint tickets with scenic spots such as the Southern Great Wall and Yanqi Lake, expanding its international influence through travel agency resources.
Service Upgrade: Comprehensive Convenience for Inbound Tourists
Cross-border travel support has been optimized: the English official website supports ticket purchasing in 8 languages and foreign currency payments such as VISA and Master Card, with direct booking links on overseas platforms. Multiple public transport tourism routes and direct shuttle services are available, providing flexible and convenient transportation options. Scenic service facilities have been improved, including bilingual signs, multilingual interpretation systems, restaurants offering international cuisines, and Chinese-style themed guest rooms. The English H5 webpage has been upgraded, restrooms have been renovated to meet the needs of foreign tourists, and barrier-free access, wheelchairs, and rest stations have been equipped to ensure smooth travel for senior tourists and special groups. Meanwhile, safety guarantee systems such as emergency call buttons, monitoring, and medical first-aid points have been installed. Annual tourist satisfaction surveys are conducted to continuously optimize service quality.
Scenario Innovation: Technology Reshaping Night Tours and Cultural Communication
Leveraging technology to redefine the night Great Wall experience, the scenic area has upgraded from simple night lighting to light show culture. It has optimized laser projection effects on the mountain, using digital light and shadow to depict the four seasons of the Great Wall and convey the spiritual core of "eternal guardianship". Interactive programs such as flash mobs and performances have been added, star-gazing research products have been improved, and the special experience of "staying at Great Wall hotels to watch sunrises and sunsets" has been launched, creating a landmark night tour destination. The Digital Great Wall Museum has introduced VR and XR technologies, launching the XR film "Dragon Soaring Across Thousands of Miles" with simultaneous Chinese and English versions. Through XR glasses, tourists can embark on an in-depth journey to learn about the past and present of the Great Wall, interact with ancient soldiers, and soar over Mutianyu Great Wall to experience the changing seasons. The "Mutianyu Great Wall Premium VIP Customized Tour" offers tailored services, including chauffeured transfers, state-guest-level interpreters, exclusive souvenirs, and tea breaks, covering more than 10 premium services.
Mutianyu Great Wall will continue to uphold its positioning as "Beijing's business card for foreign exchanges", tap into Great Wall culture, and tell Chinese stories well. Adhering to the concepts of pragmatism, innovation, harmony, and coexistence, it will build an international market, improve international standards, create international products, and enhance international quality, striving to become a world-class Great Wall-themed tourist resort. May this millennium-old magnificent pass continue to serve as an important bridge for the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations between China and foreign countries.
