World Carnival Beijing, the largest carnival touring around the world, will be staged in Beijing this summer for the first time, Beijing Star Daily reported Thursday.

The carnival, organized through a joint venture between UK Funfairs Ltd. and Hong Kong-based World Carnival Ltd., will take place at the International Sculpture Park in Shijingshan District in western Beijing around July, according to the paper.

A worker with the park told Xinhua that the carnival will start on June 22 and last until late August.

Explaining why Beijing was chosen as the venue, the paper quoted a manager of the event as saying that they chose Beijing because the city will stage the Olympic Games in 2008, meaning growing business opportunities.

The price of a ticket has yet to be announced as organizers await approval by local government.

The amusement event was held in Shanghai last summer for 78 straight days, which drew 2.2 million visitors with an overall revenue of 240 million yuan (nearly US$30 million).

Only one city was selected each year to host the carnival, which featuring about 130 rides, games and attractions, stage performance and specialty snacks from around the world.

Hong Kong was selected as the venue for the carnival in 2002.

(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2004)