The central Vietnamese city of Da Nang will be among 17 destinations for a biennial international yacht race which kicks off in London late August.

Speaking at a meeting on Tuesday to prepare for the Clipper Race, Dang Viet Dung, deputy chair of the Da Nang People's Committee, said that the coastal city paid £500,000 (US$780,432) to host the event as one of its 17 destinations.

The name of Da Nang will also appear on one of the race’s yachts, which means the Vietnamese city’s brand will be seen at other destinations and countries where the yacht visits.

This year, the race welcomes 14 yachts from 12 teams that represent 12 countries.

It starts its 11-month journey in London in late August, visiting 17 destinations, passing 138 countries and territories – including South America, Australia, Asia, and the U.S. – and coming back to the UK.

The yachts are scheduled to visit Vietnam in January or February next year.

“This will be a big international event which helps promote Da Nang’s brand, tourism, and economy,” deputy chairman Dung said.

According to Wikipedia, the yacht race was first organized by Clipper Ventures Plc in 1995. The event gives paying amateur crew members the chance to sail around the world.

The organizers own a fleet of identical yachts and provide qualified skippers to lead each team.

Crew can either sign up for the whole race, or one or more legs.

The race ran every two years between 1996 and 2002, and then skipped a year, with subsequent races beginning in 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2013.

Teams compete for the Times Clipper 2000 trophy, made of lead crystal.

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