Da Nang to host fireworks tourney

The central city will host the Da Nang International Fireworks Competition on April 29-30 next year, the annual event's organising committee has announced.
At a conference in Da Nang on Wednesday, the city's party secretary Nguyen Ba Thanh said the competition has drawn numerous tourists to the city in the five years since it began.
"Da Nang has been the only city in Viet Nam to host the competition since 2008. It has become the biggest festival attraction of the year, which naturally got tourists interested in coming here," Thanh told the conference.
"The competition should be even more extravagant next year in order to attract even more people."
The event organising committee also said the fireworks competition will be held biennially from 2015.
The competition drew 100,000 tourists the first year it took place, but this figure had increased to 360,000 by the fifth event in April this year.
The organising committee also said that business sponsorship was key in making sure the competition took palce.
In 2012, sponsors contributed VND37.6 billion (US$1.8 million) towards the competition.
"We have promoted tourism through the fireworks competition since 2008. The city has become a well-known destination for both domestic and foreign visitors," said the director of the city's culture, sport, and tourism department, Ngo Quang Vinh.
"The competition also attracted the participation of foreign fireworks companies from around the world," he said.
Eight teams from South Africa, New Zealand, Austria, Russia, Malaysia, the US, Poland and Japan, and the host country have requested to take part in the 2013 competition.
The organising committee built a 32,000-seat stage by the Han River to host the event.
In previous competitions, Canada's Davis Whysall won the first prize in 2008, while China's Liuyang Dancing team took the title in 2009.
France's Jacques Couturier Organisation clinched the first prize in 2010, and Italy's Parente won twice in 2011-12.