Nantianmen, or the Southern Heavenly Gate at Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. [Photo by Shao Bolin]

Russian-style show will form center of major development in Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie, Hunan province, added to its world fame as the inspiration for the fictional world of Pandora in the movie Avatar. In 2017, it hopes to draw international attention as it creates a performing center for a Russian-style grand circus.

The project is an element of Sino-Russia tourism and cultural cooperation and the latest manifestation of the city's ambition to build itself into an international tourism destination.

The circus will cover 43,000 square meters, with affiliated hotels covering another 24,000. Total investment is expected to reach 800 million yuan ($120 million) and bring 20 percent more tourist visits to the city. Another 1.2 billion yuan will be invested in building up the surrounding area as a Russian-style entertainment park.

Mao Zhiping, chairman of Zhangjiajie Dacheng Shanshui Hotel, said the circus project is expected to start in September and is planned for completion in one year.

"Dacheng Shanshui Hotel will be in charge of investment and construction, while the Russian curators will be dealing with all the technical matters, including the arrangement of gyms and rehearsal halls, backstage space arrangements and other administrative affairs," said Mao. "The performance team will have more than 300 people."

At the same time, the Zhangjiajie circus will host an international festival every December, during which acrobats from more than 20 countries are expected to participate and compete for medals, Mao said.

According to the Russian TASS news agency, Edgar Zapashny, who directs the Moscow State Circus, said the building that houses it - the biggest one in Europe - could fit easily inside the new circus building in Zhangjiajie.

From January to April, Zhangjiajie received 13.2 million visitors, with 150,000 visits paid by overseas tourists, an increase of 19 percent over the same period last year.

And the Russian-style circus will bring Zhangjiajie more fame around the world, said Wang Jianjun, the city's publicity director.

"Performances of the Moscow circus are unique and the top show worldwide," Wang said. "In the past, many tourists who came to Zhangjiajie were older people. Only few were youngsters. With such a grand new show, many young people, and even small children, will have fun here."

"I believe 70 percent of visits to the circus will be parents with kids," Wang said.