On 3 November, under the theme "The Great Wall Meets the Mountain City", representatives of Mutianyu Great Wall Scenic Area and the Shibati Traditional Style Area signed a strategic cooperation agreement. Building on this partnership, the two cultural tourism flagships will pursue co-branding, visitor exchange, complementary offerings and shared resources — connecting the cultural heritage of north and south China and growing together.
Mutianyu is one of the finest and most representative sections of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall, and carries an exceptional set of credentials: UNESCO World Heritage Site, national 5A-level tourist attraction, and one of China's first national civility-in-tourism demonstration sites. Backed by deep heritage resources and an internationally oriented approach to operations, the scenic area has steadily raised its global profile. In 2026 it welcomed more than one million inbound visitors — a record high — and received Tripadvisor's Travelers' Choice Best of the Best award. With the arrival of "Eternal Ring", a new world cultural tourism landmark, its international standing continues to rise. The site is also constantly refreshing its offerings and international amenities: it has opened China's first Visa international friendly payment zone at a World Heritage site, and launched the immersive night-time live show "Land Unscathed: The Qi Jiguang's Army" along with XR immersive experiences, further enriching its international facilities and immersive tourism scenes.
As a core cultural tourism landmark in Chongqing's old city, the Shibati Traditional Style Area carries the thousand-year everyday heritage of the mountain city and acts as a key cultural corridor linking Chongqing's upper and lower towns. With its distinctive stepped alleyways and deep Bayu cultural roots, the district has built a richly varied, experience-driven and hugely popular culture–commerce–tourism ecosystem, drawing around 24 million visitors a year. It has earned more than 40 honours — including national-level night-time culture and tourism consumption cluster, national intangible cultural heritage tourism street and national tourism and leisure district — making it a benchmark showcase of the old city's culture and the mountain city's charm.
Under the agreement, cooperation covers five areas — co-branding, joint promotion, co-created products, shared visitor markets and integrated business formats — with a strong emphasis on practical, on-the-ground delivery.
The Great Wall meets the mountain city, and two destinations shine as one. Climb the pass and touch the weight of centuries; head for the mountain city and soak up the buzz of Bayu life. Grab your travel companion and set off!
