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Affordable Tickets Prices Announced for 2008 Beijing Olympic Games

The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) revealed details on November 29 of its affordable ticketing programme. Fifty-eight percent of the more than seven million tickets available for sale will be priced at or lower than 100 yuan (US$12.76), which are less expensive than those of recent Games.

According to the Games’ ticketing policy, the prices for sports sessions will range between 30 yuan (US$3.80) and 1,000 yuan (US$127.65), about 30 percent less expensive than their most recent equivalents. For preliminary sessions, the tickets will cost between 30 yuan (US$3.80) and 300 yuan (US$37.97), while for the finals, the price range will be 60 yuan (US$7.59) to 1,000 yuan (US$127.65). The lowest-priced ticket for the opening ceremony will be 200 yuan (US$25.05), 20 percent less than that charged at the 2004 Athens Games, while the highest-priced ticket will be 5,000 yuan (US$626.25), 50 percent of its Athens equivalent. Ticket prices for the closing ceremony will range from 150 yuan (US$18.79) to 3,000 yuan (US$375.75).

The IOC, which had encouraged BOCOG to find a pricing programme in line with the local market, approved the plans. It commented: "The IOC is very pleased that BOCOG has found an affordable ticketing programme that will maximize the opportunity for the Chinese public to enjoy the Games, whilst balancing with interest from the international community."

The Beijing Games will feature 28 sports and 38 disciplines with different audience arrangements. BOCOG currently have 240 pricing categories for the tickets and are still discussing ticket policies for some specific events, but they warn that there won't be any free tickets, staff tickets or discounted tickets.

A quota will guide BOCOG’s distribution of seven million tickets. The domestic general public will have access to at least 50 percent of the tickets, which is higher than in recent Games. About 14 percent of the tickets will be reserved for Chinese students. Ticket sales will begin in the first half of 2007 in China.