"Great Wall Heroes 2024—Ensemble of the Great Wall and the Central Axis" was held at Badaling Great Wall on Sep 20.

Four travel influencers from the UK, Australia, Canada and Thailand were honored as "Great Wall Hero: Visit Beijing Tourism Ambassadors" at the event.

Co-hosted by the Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau and the Yanqing District People's Government, the event was supported by Mastercard, an official partner. Attendees included representatives from various cultural and tourism bureaus across Beijing, key scenic areas, inbound tourism enterprises, media and international guests. The event was broadcast globally via the official "Visit Beijing" overseas social media channels, reaching over 100,000 online viewers through images, videos and live streams.

Ensemble of World Heritage Sites: Celebrating new splendor

This year’s event aimed to highlight the vibrancy of Beijing's heritage through the in-depth experiences of travel influencers exploring iconic landmarks like the Great Wall and the Central Axis.

The event featured an exciting video of the four "Great Wall Heroes" exploring Beijing. Guided by bilingual expert Dou Junjie, the influencers journeyed through iconic sites like the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace, gaining a deeper understanding of Chinese civilization. They cycled along the streets of the Central Axis, embraced Beijing’s modern lifestyle, climbed the Badaling Great Wall, experienced the unique "night tour", visited the Yanqing Olympic Center to see the reuse of Olympic venues, and savored local delicacies like Beijing Duck and zhajiangmian (a type of noodles with soybean paste).

The four "Great Wall Heroes" shared their unique journeys and surprising discoveries with the audience.

Sam Tyler from the UK expressed that this experience gave him a new perspective on Beijing. Australian adventurer Siddhartha Hewison (@sids.ventures) was thrilled to visit so many world heritage sites in one city, feeling a deep connection with Chinese culture. Canadian influencer Mark Harrison recalled his time living in China, impressed by the active social lives of seniors he encountered while cycling along the Central Axis. Theppitak Sureepong (@pommapartiew) from Thailand, a seasoned traveler, was amazed by the harmonious blend of history and modernity in Beijing's landmarks.