ISTANBUL, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Istanbul on Friday marked the opening of a 15-day shopping festival at its centuries-old Grand Bazaar.
At the main entrance to the bazaar, about 50 dancers performed along with an Ottoman-style janissary band, all in traditional costumes.
They later had a parade inside the 550-year-old bazaar, which has 60 streets and more than 3,000 shops mostly renowned for hand-made carpets, jewelry, fine china, spices and antiques.
As part of the shopping festival, meetings with well-known artisans, workshops, guided tours and exhibitions will be organized inside the bazaar, the largest and oldest covered market in the world.
Some 90 million people visit the Grand Bazaar each year, making it one of the most visited places in the world, according to local officials.
A spate of terror attacks and political uncertainty, however, have scared away many tourists over the past two years and reduced the business inside the bazaar.
The design component of the festival, which was first organized in 2011, will be showcased at modern shopping malls across Istanbul, where well-known local fashion designers shall be present.
