The China Tourism Association Great Wall Subcommittee (CTAGWS) is a branch organization under the China Tourism Association (CTA), officially established on December 31, 2021.

Founded with the approval of the State Council on January 30, 1986, the China Tourism Association (CTA) is the first nationwide organization representing China’s tourism sector. It is a non-profit, industry-based social organization with independent legal person status. The association is registered with the Ministry of Civil Affairs, guided in Party-related affairs by the Central Social Work Department, and supervised in business matters by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Aligned with national strategies for cultural and tourism development, the Great Wall Subcommittee was jointly initiated by Zhongke Tianyuan (Beijing) Urban-Rural Planning and Design Institute, the Central Academy of Culture and Tourism Administration, and 61 other founding members, including the Badaling, Jinshanling, Shanhaiguan, and Mutianyu sections of the Great Wall, as well as Great Wall Life Insurance Co., Ltd., forming a collaborative network of 63 institutions across the Great Wall sector.

CTAGWS is dedicated to promoting Great Wall culture, carrying forward the Great Wall spirit, and safeguarding its heritage. Acting as a bridge, link, and platform, it undertakes key responsibilities for industry guidance, self-regulation, professional exchange, and collaborative development. By adopting the “Tourism+” concept and advancing the “One Core, Six Belts” integrated development framework, it leverages Great Wall tourism as a driving force to promote synergies across cultural research, heritage conservation, economic development, educational travel, brand communication, and digital innovation.

Core Functions Include:

Planning and designing cultural and tourism projects related to the Great Wall

Conducting academic research and contributing to the development of industry standards

Exerting brand leadership to guide the upgrading of the cultural tourism supply system

Organizing training and education to improve the competence of tourism professionals

Promoting green and sustainable development along the Great Wall corridor

Deepening international cultural and tourism exchange and cooperation

Advancing the integrated protection and sustainable use of the Great Wall’s cultural and natural resources

Promoting balanced development between Great Wall heritage and its surrounding ecological landscape

CTAGWS is committed to positioning the Great Wall as a platform for intercultural dialogue along the Belt and Road Initiative. It successfully hosted the First Great Wall Culture and Tourism Integration Conference and the “Dialogue on World Heritage” Thematic Forum, which brought together ambassadors from the UN World Tourism Organization and leading international scholars in the field of cultural heritage protection. These efforts resulted in the launch of the ongoing forum series, “The Great Wall in Dialogue with World Heritage Protection and Sustainable Tourism Development.”

The Subcommittee has also launched the Great Wall Inbound Tourism Action Plan and developed the innovative “Great Wall+” International Cultural and Tourism Brand Matrix. Furthermore, it released two group standards:

Guidelines for Evaluating Great Wall Educational Tourism Instructors (T/CTA 001–2025)

Classification and Rating Standards for International Study Tour Bases (Camps) along the Great Wall (T/CTA 002–2025)

These initiatives aim to continuously elevate the global profile of the Great Wall as a shared cultural heritage of all humanity.