The world's first leisure and recreation fair will be staged from April 22 to October 22 in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, according to sources with the municipal government.

 

Hangzhou vice mayor Xiang Qin said the six-month fair, with more than 100 activities, is expected to allure 12 million tourists, one million from overseas.

 

As host city of the fair, Hangzhou has made full preparations for the event, including building a Xianghu lake recreation zone, a world recreation exposition park and an oriental culture park.

 

With the theme "recreation -- changing human life," the fair will encompass about 100 activities like an international food festival, West Lake carnival, and international fireworks fair.

 

About 40 foreign cities of Britain, France, Australia and Japan will participate in the fair, which has also attracted enterprises and organizations from more than 40 domestic cities.

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 2, 2006)