Carnaval Ha Long 2016 to take place on April 30

The 90-minute event will feature musical performances by local artists along with a street parade expected to include professional and amateur artists from several Southeast Asian countries.

The city will also hold a fireworks display.

The Carnaval Ha Long aims to showcase the province’s culture, tourism and cuisine, as well as attract tourists to attractions in the area, particularly the Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO-recognised World Natural Heritage site. 

Last year’s event featured nearly 3,000 actors and actresses, drawing nearly 500,000 visitors, up 12 percent from the previous event.

Quang Ninh welcomed nearly 2 million visitors in the first two months of this year, up three percent from the same period last year with international visitor numbers increasing by 10 percent, according to the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The province estimated that revenue from tourism during the period was more than VND1.2 trillion (US$53.7 million), a year-on year increase of 14 percent.