Circus festival entertains tourists in Quang Ninh

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A performance by a German circus artist at the first International Circus Festival in Ha Long city (Photo: VNA)

More than 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 performed down the streets on November 13, and thousands of locals and tourists gathered to enjoy the parade.

The artists will perform various shows till November 17.

On November 14, a workshop on circus art and tourism development was held as part of the festival.

Peter Dubinsky, one of the festival’s judges, said international circus festivals had been held in other countries to promote local tourism.

“In many countries, circus festivals have become a tourism highlight for locals and visitors,” he said.

“Quang Ninh has a great opportunity to develop circus into a tourism product,” he said. “I think Quang Ninh needs contributions from media to host the festival in years to come.”

According to Nguyen Thuy Yen, deputy director of Quang Ninh's Tourism 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 million visitors this year, a 14 percent increase against the year, including 5.7 million foreigners.

Total tourism revenue is forecast to reach 30,000 billion VND (1.3 billion USD).

“The International Circus Festival this year will be a preparation for hosting such an event annually in order to create a unique tourism product in winter, a low season for tourism in the coastal province,” Yen said.