A performance by a German circus artist at the first International Circus Festival in Ha Long city (Photo: VNA) Quang Ninh (VNA) - Morethan 100 circus artists from 20 nations and territories are taking part in the first International Circus Festival in Ha Long city in the northern province of Quang Ninh.
The artists marched and performeddown the streets on November 13, and thousands of locals and touristsgathered to enjoy the parade.
The artists will perform various showstill November 17.
On November 14,a workshop on circus art and tourism development was held as part ofthe festival.
Peter Dubinsky, one of the festival’sjudges, said international circus festivals had been held in othercountries to promote local tourism.
“Inmany countries, circus festivals have become a tourism highlight forlocals and visitors,” he said.
“Quang Ninh has a great opportunity to develop circus into a tourismproduct,” he said. “I think Quang Ninh needscontributions from media to host the festival in years to come.”
According to Nguyen Thuy Yen, deputy director of Quang Ninh'sTourism Department, over the past five years, the number of tourists to the province and income from tourism have grown considerably.
The province expects to receive 14 millionvisitors this year, a 14 percent increase against the year,including 5.7 million foreigners.
Total tourism revenue is forecast toreach 30,000 billion VND (1.3 billion USD).
“The International Circus Festival thisyear will be a preparation for hosting such an event annually in order tocreate a unique tourism product in winter, a low season for tourism in thecoastal province,” Yen said./.
