BINTULU: The 12th Borneo International Kite Festival this year attracted participants from 20 countries with over 170 participants from around the world gathering at the old Bintulu Airport site to fly kites since Sept 28.
The participating countries are China, England, Japan, Vietnam, Italy, Sweden, Australia, Turkey, India, France, Kuwait, Taiwan, Singapore, Belgium, Germany, Thailand, Indonesia, New Zealand, Brunei and Colombia.
The festival is also participated by kite flyers from from Johor, Sarawak, Pulau Pinang, Terengganu, Putrajaya, Malacca, Kuala Lumpur, Perlis and Kedah.
Participating teams include Team Impian (Malacca), Kelab Pelayang Pasir Gudang (Johor), Windancer Kuala Lumpur, Layang King KL, De Junction Kite (Malacca) and Fly N Smile (Kuala Lumpur).
Several kite flyers interviewed at the site yesterday said they were satisfied with this year’s festival.
Roger Tessa-Gambassi, a kite maker from France, said he organised kite festivals in France.
“I come here because this is one of the best kite flying festivals in the world, and I have been joining many festivals in the world,” he said.
He commented thatthe wind here is good and the food awesome even if the weather was a bit hot for him. He enjoys his third time in Bintulu.
“This festival is just like other festivals as it gathered kite flyers from across the globe. I love everything here, the people and the food, that is why I come here every year.
“It was good to meet other kite flyers from around the world and foster closer relationship with locals,” he said. He was accompanied by four friends.
According to him, Bintulu looked so different this year with new big commercial buildings and he congratulated the local authority for its efforts to improve the city, bringing development to attract more people here.
Ferhan Bozbey who was accompanied by her husband Emin Bozbey from Istanbul, Turkey said they had been to many kite-flying festivals together, with Bintulu a place they didn’t want to miss.
The couple have been participating in similar festivals in France, Italy, Lebanon, India and Turkmenistan besides local events in Turkey.
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