The Strait Hakka Tourism Joy Festival 2009, featuring traditional Hakka culture, will be held between September 9 and 11 in Longyan, Fujian province.

According to the Fujian Provincial Tourism Bureau, the festival will display exhibitions, art shows, cooking competitions, promotion seminars and development forums.

The three-day annual event, originally known as the Longyan Tourism Festival, plans to introduce Hakka's distinguishing characteristics to tourists.

Combining Hakka with the Western Fujian culture it aims to serve as a cross-strait tourism exposition.

Longyan, the birthplace of Hakka culture, hosted six festivals since 2003 boosting the city's tourist industry.

(China Daily July 15, 2009)