Dongcheng, as the site of the ancient imperial city, has long been a favorite among tourists. The bid for World Heritage status for the Beijing Central Axis will offer visitors a brand-new “Beijing Central Axis” tourism experience. Reportedly, the Central Axis tour will be divided into three major zones, reflecting the evolution of historical culture. This year, Dongcheng will complete the construction of a bicycle tour guide system, enabling tourists to not only cycle along the “Central Axis” but also explore Dongcheng by bike.
Independent travelers show more enthusiasm for the Central Axis
This year, Dongcheng District will promote the World Heritage bid for the Central Axis in conjunction with the 860th anniversary of the founding of the capital. The Beijing Central Axis stretches approximately 7.8 kilometers in a straight line from Yongdingmen in the south to the Bell and Drum Towers in the north, passing key attractions such as Zhengyangmen, the Forbidden City, and Jingshan.
What kind of tourists are keen on visiting the “Beijing Central Axis”? Dongcheng District commissioned the Tourism College of Beijing Union University to conduct a questionnaire survey among visitors to Beijing. The survey revealed that independent travelers make up the majority of those interested in the Central Axis. Their travel expenditure is higher than that of group tourists. Key “leisure commercial districts” influencing the visibility of the Central Axis include Nanluoguxiang, Shichahai, Liulichang, Qianmen Featured Commercial Street, New World Commercial Street, and Dongdan Yinqiao.
Central Axis to be divided into three zones
According to information from the tourism work conference, the Central Axis is planned to be divided into three distinct yet interconnected zones: the traditional market and commercial culture area south of Qianmen, the traditional imperial city culture area from Qianmen north to Jingshan, and the traditional imperial city lifestyle experience area north of Jingshan. The tourism resources in these three zones will showcase an integration of ancient, modern, and contemporary elements, reflecting the historical and cultural changes along the Central Axis.
The “Beijing Central Axis” will create a cultural belt of the traditional imperial city style, with independent travelers as the main audience and group tourists as a supplement. By developing the unique tourism resources of the three zones, it will both reflect the traditional culture of Beijing as the old imperial city and showcase the rhythm of modern Beijing’s fashionable transformation.
Large screens to recommend tour routes
According to Dongcheng District authorities, this year the district will complete the construction of the bicycle tour guide system. Tourists will be able to easily rent bicycles and check tour routes on guide maps. These guide maps will be set up at various bicycle rental points and will use large screens to recommend tour routes to visitors—for example, one-hour cycling routes, two-hour cycling routes, etc. Visitors can choose tour options of varying durations based on their own schedules. In the future, the guide system is also expected to cover the entire district, allowing tourists to not only cycle along the Central Axis but also explore Dongcheng by bike.
In addition, Dongcheng District will enhance its tourism public service system by improving rest facilities within the Central Axis area and beautifying the urban landscape. Relevant departments are currently studying a series of measures, such as restricting vehicle sizes and permitted travel times in certain areas, to create a walking environment that integrates independent travel, sightseeing, and immersive experiences.