Dual Olympic Legacy Reimagined: Unlock the Secrets of Beijing’s Smart City Tourism

As the world’s first “Dual Olympic City” to host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, Beijing has not only left iconic venue legacies such as the Bird’s Nest, Water Cube and Shougang Park, but also deeply integrated digital technologies used during the events into urban governance, creating a smart city ecosystem that combines a sense of technology and convenience. For foreign tourists, these smart achievements are no longer abstract concepts, but practical tools throughout the journey — from smart transportation connections upon arrival, to intelligent scenic spot experiences during visits, and convenient handling of government services during trips. Every detail reflects the innovation that technology brings to tourism, making the exploration of this ancient capital more efficient and immersive.

Smart transportation is the first window for foreign tourists to experience Beijing’s smart city, and the dual Olympic legacy is the core enabler of this system. The 2008 Summer Olympics and 2022 Winter Olympics drove the all-round upgrading of Beijing’s transportation network, forming a smart transportation pattern of “intelligent connection, real-time scheduling and precise navigation”. When arriving in Beijing, the smart services at Daxing International Airport and Capital International Airport can greatly simplify travel processes: AI navigation robots in the terminal support multilingual interaction, generating the optimal walking route and transfer guide when the destination is entered; self-service baggage check-in equipment can quickly complete baggage security check and check-in through facial recognition, without long queues; the seamless connection between the airport express and subway allows direct boarding by scanning a mobile phone code, no additional tickets required. Alipay and WeChat both support foreign currency binding payment, with easy operation.

For travel within the city, smart transportation tools can further improve travel efficiency. Beijing Subway’s intelligent scheduling system can adjust departure intervals in real time, with the shortest interval of only 2 minutes during peak hours. Through the “Beijing Subway” APP, tourists can query real-time arrival information, transfer time, and even accurately predict carriage crowding, helping them avoid peak congestion. For travel between dual Olympic venues, exclusive smart bus lines are equipped with real-time positioning functions. Tourists can check the vehicle location and estimated arrival time through their mobile phones, avoiding blind waiting. In addition, smart shared bikes and autonomous driving shuttles are deployed around Winter Olympic venues such as Shougang Park. During short trips, tourists can not only experience the convenience of green travel, but also feel the charm of cutting-edge technology, realizing a dual experience of “technology + tourism”.

The construction of smart scenic spots allows foreign tourists to interpret Beijing’s dual Olympic legacy and historical culture in a new way. Both dual Olympic venues and traditional scenic spots have integrated digital technologies to create immersive visiting experiences. As a model of Winter Olympic legacy renovation, Shougang Park has realized the integrated experience of “technology + industry + sports” through an intelligent guide system: scanning the QR code in the park can obtain a multilingual electronic guide, detailing the renovation process and competition stories of venues such as Shougang Big Air and the Third Blast Furnace; AR interactive devices can restore Winter Olympic competition scenes, allowing tourists to “travel back” to the competition moments; the intelligent environmental monitoring system displays real-time air quality and temperature, providing references for visits.

The smart upgrade of traditional scenic spots is equally impressive. Relying on the digital experience of the dual Olympics, the Palace Museum has launched a multilingual intelligent guide APP, which can not only accurately explain the history of cultural relics, but also plan the optimal visiting route to avoid peak crowds; the online reservation system supports overseas credit card payment and passport authentication, with tickets available for reservation 7 days in advance, no on-site queuing required; some exhibition halls are equipped with AI cultural relic restoration demonstration devices, showing the cultural relic restoration process through dynamic images, making historical culture easier to understand. Scenic spots such as the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace have introduced intelligent guide headsets that support multilingual switching, automatically triggering explanations when approaching corresponding scenic spots, freeing hands and making visits more targeted.

Smart government services escort foreign tourists’ journeys, solving various unexpected problems during travel. Beijing’s “One-Stop Service Platform for International Talents” supports multilingual operations, allowing online inquiries about visa extension, accommodation registration, emergency medical services and other guides. Some services can also be booked online without going back and forth to government halls. In addition, intelligent police stations around scenic spots and business districts are equipped with multilingual service terminals, enabling quick handling of temporary identity certificates and consultation on travel safety matters; the mobile “Beijing 12345” hotline supports English messages. When encountering problems such as transportation, accommodation and travel disputes, tourists can seek help at any time and get timely responses, making foreign trips more secure.

A one-day tour route of “Dual Olympic Legacy + Smart Experience” is recommended for foreign tourists: start from the urban area in the morning, take the subway to Shougang Park, experience intelligent guidance and AR interaction, and feel the smart transformation of Winter Olympic legacy; have lunch at a smart restaurant near Shougang Park, experiencing convenient services through scanning codes to order and self-pickup; go to the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube in the afternoon, review the grand occasion of the dual Olympic Games through intelligent devices in the venues, and check in the smart light show; take a smart bus to the Forbidden City area in the evening, book tickets for the next day online, and experience smart shared bikes on the street to feel Beijing’s night vitality.

For practical tips, it is recommended that foreign tourists download the “Beijing Tong” APP in advance, which integrates one-stop services such as smart transportation, scenic spot reservations and government consultations, supporting Chinese-English switching; activate international roaming on mobile phones or purchase local data cards to ensure smooth network throughout the journey for using various smart services; some smart devices require binding a mobile phone number, which can be assisted by airport or hotel front desks; respect the usage regulations of smart devices in scenic spots, experience smart services in a civilized manner, and jointly maintain visiting order.