The historical and cultural city of Zhaoqing in South China's Guangdong Province aims to show the world its tantalizing tourist resources in the first Zhaoqing International Tourist and Cultural Festival in June.

"We want to use this chance to publicize and promote our rich tourist resources, as well as our unique culture and long history," said Jiang Haiyan, mayor of Zhaoqing, yesterday.

During the festival - organized by the Information Office of the Guangdong provincial government and to be held from June 1 to 5 - more than 95 international and national travel agencies and television stations from 30 famous tourist cities in China will be invited to investigate and gather news on the eight best-selected tourist routes in Zhaoqing, covering local ecological system, leisure and forests.

The city hosts more than 400 relic sites with historical and scientific value. Beautiful mountains and clear waters in the area form a 500-kilometre long travel network which attracts more than 4 million visitors and brings profits of US$375 million yearly.

A dragon boat race, as an important part of the festival, is expected to attract about 60 boat teams from such countries as Australia, Holland, the United States, Japan and Thailand, as well as from China's Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, the Pearl River Delta area and Zhaoqing itself.

Zhaoqing, also famous for its Duanxi Inkslab, will hold its first Inkslab Culture Festival during the event.

( China Daily April 19, 2002)