An international tourism festival focusing on tours in the desert and on China's second-longest river, the Yellow River, opened Tuesday in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

Various programs such as a dragon boat contest, ethnic art performances, tours in the desert and bird-watching are part of the ten-day event.

The major programs of the festival will be held at the famous tourist site of Shahu Lake, 56 km from the autonomous regional capital Yinchuan.

The site features a 890-ha lake, a 1,500-ha desert and the 1, 800-ha wetland. The area is also home to 140 kinds of vertebrates, 16 varieties of fish and 98 types of birds.

Delegations from a dozen of countries including the United States, Japan and Thailand as well as provinces and municipalities across China will attend the festival.

Major scenic spots in the area are expected to receive more than 300,000 domestic and overseas visitors during the festival.

The festival is jointly organized by the National Tourism Administration and the Ningxia regional government.

(Xinhua 07/10/2010)