Bikaner, Jan 2 : A camel race organised in Bikaner on Friday as a part of the three-day-long annual camel festival attracted thousands of foreign tourists.

The festival began on Wednesday (December 30) at the Karni stadium named after Maharaja Karni Singh, an ace sportsman and champion marksman of the Bikaner royalty.

This year''s camel festival happened to be the 17th edition that the Rajasthan Tourism department had organised in collaboration with the Bikaner district administration.

Locals, including foreign tourists cheered as they witnessed the camel race.

Camel race is very exciting, said Li Xao, a tourist from China.

"Camel race is very exciting. It is for the first time I have come to India, first time in Bikaner. So exciting for me. People in Bikaner are very nice," Xao said.

Tourists were amazed to see the intense competition.

"The jockeys they are really intense they are so focused on keeping the camels straight and keeping the race as exciting as it could be. It is amazing. I loved every second of it," said Francois Leblanc, a tourist from France. (ANI)