The 2005 Shenzhen International Tourism Festival will commence from next Monday.

More than 1,000 foreign attendees, including diplomats, businesspeople and tourism operators, will be present at the opening ceremony that day, the city's tourism bureau said.

The festival, which will last for two weeks, is aimed at promoting Shenzhen as a popular tourist destination.

Various events, such as beauty contests, food festivals, golf competitions, and antique exhibitions, will be held during the fortnight. These events are to showcase the youthful city as a shopping heaven, a relaxing escape, and a place with a well-preserved Hakka culture.

Each of the six districts in Shenzhen will organize their own events. Luohu District will host a food festival at the King Glory Plaza. Futian District, the city's central business district, will hold a shopping carnival. Nanshan District, with a large expatriate population, will have a food festival featuring cuisines from different countries.

Bao'an District, the city's milk production base, will organize a milk-themed event, while hotels and tourist destinations in Yantian District, famous for its beautiful coastal scenery, will introduce favorable packages for tourists. Longgang District will display its Hakka specialty.

As "culture" is a buzzword nowadays, cultural events are also included in the tourism festival, including stage shows, kung fu competitions and curio displays.

"The Shenzhen tourism authority has always aimed to promote Shenzhen in the international tourism market. We expect attracting more overseas tourists through festivals of this kind," said Chi Xiongbiao, director general of the Shenzhen Municipal Tourism Bureau.

(Shenzhen Daily November 17, 2005)