Local authorities hold a press conference on Aug 30 to announce the relative arrangement for this year's tourism festival. [Photo/ WeChat account: nbfb0574]

The annual Ningbo tourism festival this year is going to have an exotic twist to it, with the arrival of the Nice Carnival as part of the festival, according to a press conference held by local authorities on Aug 30.

This is the first time that Ningbo has introduced the Nice Carnival, one of the top three carnivals in the world, as a result of joint efforts between Ningbo and the French city.

The Ningbo-Nice International Carnival, to be held from Sept 28 to Oct 3 in Jiangbei district, Ningbo, Zhejiang province, will feature 12 performances ranging from large flower float parades to various street arts.

It serves not only to introduce some authentic French customs to China, but also to spread local culture to overseas visitors and boost local tourism.

As an official event of the 2018 European Union (EU)-China Tourism Year, it is hoped it will also contribute to cooperation in tourism and culture between the EU and China.

Meanwhile, a series of foreigner focused activities will be available at the tourism festival to promote the city among foreign visitors, and a summit forum on developing the city's international tourism will also be held.