HÀ NỘI — More than 100 circus artists from 20 nations and territories are taking part on the first International Circus Festival in Hạ Long City in the northern province of Quảng Ninh.

Artists parade in downtown Hạ Long. — VNA/VNS Photos Đức Hiếu

They 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.

Thousands of locals and tourists turned up for the show.

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.

They also performed various acts.

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

A mother and her son take photos with a clown.

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

Another judge, Robert Sandor Donnert, said Hạ Long attracted a lot of tourists from Europe.

Authorities hope to make the event an annual tourism product.

“Hosting the international circus festival will create a new tourism product for Hạ Long, creating chances for tourists to understand local culture,” he said.

According to Nguyễn Thùy Yên, deputy director of Quảng Ninh's Tourism Department, over the past five years, the number of tourists to Quảng Ninh and income from tourism had grown considerably.

The province expects to receive 14 million visitors this year, a 14 per cent increase against the year, including 5.7 million foreigners.

Total tourism revenue is forecast to reach VNĐ30,000 billion (US$1.3 billion).

“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,” she said. — VNS