The southern China city of Hangzhou is preparing a lake shore for a six-month international travel exposition designed to stimulate the city's tourism industry and rival the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai in importance, a publicist for the city said this week.

From April 22 through Oct 22 next year, Hangzhou will hold its first World Leisure Expo 2006 along Xiang Lake.

Officials with the city, the China National Tourism Administration and the World Leisure Organization have assigned pavilions to 100 tourism-conscious cities, such as Beijing and Sydney, from 50 countries. They expect 15 million Chinese visitors and 1 million foreign visitors.