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Guangdong cities set the stage for tourism fest

By Guang Ji (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-11-02 08:59

GUANGZHOU: Visitors to Guangdong will need to plan well to experience the range of events offered across the province during the 2009 Guangdong International Tourism and Culture Festival from November 13 to 19.

This year's festival held in all of Guangdong's 21 cities offers a wide range of natural and cultural attractions until the end of the year.

Parades, flotillas, opening night galas, food festivals and even a bikini modeling contest are among the events. A sampling of the highlights includes:

Guangzhou

A nighttime gala on November 13 in Guangzhou University Town's central stadium will mark the official opening of the 2009 Guangdong International Tourism and Culture Festival that embraces Cantonese culture, the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the Asian Games to be hosted by the city next year. A tourism trade fair on the same day will welcome senior officials from the National Tourism Administration, the World Tourism Organization, tourism authorities from nine southern provinces and the regions of Hong Kong and Macao, as well as foreign-funded tourism firms in Guangdong and other guests.

Parades will be held daily from November 13 to 19 at the University Town stadium and the Canton Fair's Liuhua complex, organized by foreign sister states and provinces of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao along with a number of other provinces in China and all 21 cities in Guangdong. A flotilla on the Pearl River will be held from November 14 and 29.

A November 13 summit on international cooperation will include global tourism officials, delegates from foreign sister states and provinces, executives from major tourism companies from home and abroad and tourism experts.

A presentation and show on exchanges with sister areas will be staged at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall on November 14.

Visitors will have a chance to taste a wide range of vintages at an international wine festival at the alcohol exhibition center in Guangzhou Bonded Area from November 18 and 20.

Shenzhen

A show signaling the opening of the 2009 Shenzhen tourism festival will be staged at the theme park Window of the World on November 5.

The city will also host the F1 Powerboat World Championships at Houhai Neiwan Park in Nanshan district from November 17 to 18 and a World Cup golf championship at Mission Hills Golf Club.

Shantou

A food festival for local and Taiwanese delicacies will be held at Times Square and major hotels and restaurants from December 3 and 13, which coincides with an international food expo at Shantou International Convention & Exhibition Center.

Bicyclists from home and abroad will compete in a race around Nan'ao Island in early December.

Foshan

A parade through various districts from November 6 to 8 will depict cultures from the Pearl River Delta, Hong Kong and Macao.

Shanwei

Artists will perform ancient local operas called Zhengzi, Xiqin, Baizi and Piying at the Fengshan Mazu Cultural Square in mid-November.

Zhongshan

The China (Zhongshan) Green Expo 2009 is scheduled from December 30 to January 3 in Guzhen town.

Zhanjiang

A festival celebrating the harvest of famed oranges grown in Lianjiang will run from late November to early December.

Maoming

A conference, seminar and tour in memory of the ancient warrior Madam Xian will be held in Gaozhou in December.

Qingyuan

A traditional rite of the Yao ethnic group called shuagetang to celebrate the harvest and worship gods is held in Liannan Yao autonomous county every year. Based on the lunar calendar, this year it falls on December 2.

Yangshan county will host a four-wheel drive rally in November and Lianzhou will host an international photo exhibition.

Yunfu

The three hot spring resorts in Xinxing county hold a bikini modeling contest from November 25 and December 1.

Held concurrently with the Pan-Pearl River Delta Tourism Promotion Convention, the festival is jointly organized by the National Tourism Administration and the Guangdong provincial government.