Innovations at Badaling Great Wall support summer tourism

As Beijing enters its peak summer travel season, the Badaling section of the Great Wall is relying on digital management, upgraded infrastructure and refined visitor services to accommodate growing tourist numbers while maintaining an orderly sightseeing experience.

More than 40,000 visitors had booked tickets for July 21 alone, with most expected to arrive before noon, prompting staff members to adjust shifts and deploy additional personnel, according to Badaling's ticketing operation team. During the summer holiday, the scenic area has been receiving more than 50,000 visitors on many days.

Operated by Badaling Culture and Tourism Group, the attraction has spent more than a decade upgrading its transport network, visitor facilities and management systems to improve capacity and service quality.

According to Rong Xinfeng, Party secretary and chairman of the group, the scenic area has undergone three major stages of development since 2010. A bypass highway that opened in 2011 ended decades of heavy vehicle traffic passing through the historical fortress area, allowing the core section of the Great Wall to be managed as a pedestrian-only zone. In 2019, a 590-meter Great Wall Cultural Street was renovated to enrich visitors' cultural experience with exhibitions and themed businesses.