Red noses, balloon outfits, stilts and wheelbarrows, artists at China's first international clown festival in Liuzhou, southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, have not only entertained the visitors, but also boosted local tourism.

 

The festival, which lasted from May 1 to 7, has attracted more than 300,000 tourists and has generated 500 to 600 million yuan in economic profits, said Zhang Guohong, an expert with the cultural market and industries of China, a co-organizer of the festival.

 

 

Statistics from the city tourism bureau show 95 percent of the hotels in the city are booked, up 30 percent from last year's figure.

 

"Hosting the festival is a good chance for China's mid-west cities like Liuzhou to develop its cultural industry and promote the overall development of the city," Zhang said.

 

Zhang said the clown festival will be made into an annual event in Liuzhou.

 

The first international clown festival was organized by the cultural market and industries of China and American Event Management Institute (AEMI), which has successfully sponsored such festivals in other countries.

 

More than 50 clown performing artists from 10 countries including the United States, Britain, and France performed at the festival.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2007)