Beijing to build world-class, integrated Great Wall scenic area

BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Beijing's Yanqing District plans to build a comprehensive, world-class scenic area centered around the Badaling Great Wall UNESCO World Heritage Site, integrating surrounding sections of the Great Wall, local authorities have said.

Starting this year, the district will establish sightseeing trails linking surrounding Great Wall sections, and upgrade the business models of the China Great Wall Museum and nearby commercial strips to meet tourist demand for accommodation, catering and shopping in an improved manner.

Multiple activities are also expected to be launched, including a Great Wall culture festival, a forum and a concert, according to the district government.

The China Great Wall Museum's new exhibition halls are still under construction, with an estimated construction area of about 16,000 square meters.

The Great Wall has a total length of more than 20,000 kilometers and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of many interconnected walls. Beijing has an approximate total of 520 kilometers of Great Wall sections, of which the Badaling section is the most visited.

Since the Badaling Great Wall was opened to tourists in 1958, it has received more than 200 million visitors from home and abroad.