Exploring the Historic Greatness of Beijing, China

BEIJING, June 3, 2016 — The unprecedented collaboration between Visit Beijing and MasterCard officially came to an end with both parties tossing in the press conference & closing ceremony of The Great Wall Hero in Gubei Water Town on June 1, 2016.

Lang Lang, China’s first international pianist and the “hottest artist on the classical music planet” (by the New York Times), presented on the ceremony as Beijing Tourism Ambassador and played enthusiastic music at the Great Wall stage.

Beijing is not only the capital of China, but also the capital of world heritage with 7 listed sites in the city. As one of the most famous heritage sites, the Great Wall attracts thousands of travelers around the world every year. Under the name of “the Great Wall Hero”, Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development (BMCTD) launched a global marketing campaign this year, with an aim to recruit the first-ever “hero” who is ambitious enough to conquer one of the most majestic relics on earth – the Great Wall. Its online recruitment lasted for two months, receiving thousands of applications from 64 countries.

As the official “Great Wall Hero”, Sawyer Hartman from the US has embarked a 72-hour Great Wall Tour in Beijing. Hartman is a global award-winning filmmaker and travel blogger with over 4 million followers. His amazing adventure with Visit Beijing began with a private helicopter ride for an aerial view of the ancient fortification.

The Great Wall Hero Tour included 5 popular sections of the Great Wall in 3 districts of Beijing:

• “Turn Left” in Yanqing County – Badaling, Shuiguan

• “Off the Path” in Huairou County – Mutianyu, Huanghuacheng

• “Sun Catching” in Miyun County – Simatai

“Through this campaign, we want to tell the world that Beijing is ready to show our precious wonders, bringing more surprises to global travelers”, said Cao Pengcheng, Vice Chairman of BMCTD. Wang Rui, on behalf of City Image & Marketing Department, BMCTD, shared the digital strategies and marketing highlights of the campaign with all media and guests on site. Apart from introducing the three customized Great Wall Hero routes, Rui expressed special thanks to the support from tourism organizations like Gubei Water Town, an international tourism resort next to the Simatai Great Wall.

Sawyer spoke highly of the night tour experience in Gubei Water Town, in which he witnessed the magic scenery of Simatai and boat trip at night. Lu Chuan, Director of City Image & Marketing Department, BMCTD, added that it was also important to introduce related tourism resources and services as combined packages.

From jogging on the ridge-backed dragon to strolling around the crisscrossed hutongs, from feasting traditional royal cuisine to snacks on the street, he is truly experiencing and sharing the beauty and culture of Beijing with his audience.

After spending 3 days at the Great Wall, Sawyer will also join several Priceless Beijing experiences sponsored by MasterCard, to explore the culture and local life of the Beijingers in depth.