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Fans cry foul over tickets to Cup
By Zhao Yanrong and Cui Xiaohuo (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-03-23 09:44
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Travel agencies focus on selling packages to companies as South Africa finals draw near
Chinese soccer fans are struggling to cope with sky-high fees from tour agencies to watch the World Cup in South Africa.
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 A promotional poster for the World Cup in South Africa adorns the wall of a fast food store in Beijing. City travel agencies are now offering tours to the event. Wang Jing / China Daily |
Instead, companies and organizations wanting to invite their customers or employees to the sports event have been the main focus of several tour agencies, which are selling packages for up to 56,000 yuan.
"We know the price is a bit more than most soccer fans were expecting, but they are not who we want to attract. Most of our clients are traveling groups that have been funded by companies and organizations," said a marketing woman surnamed Zhou from the Beijing Golden Grown International Travel Service (BGGITS) Co Ltd.
The agency claimed it is the only travel agency authorized by 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa in China. It said FIFA issued 1,000 tickets for sales in China and they have sold most of those seats to groups of clients in the capital.
"Tickets for the match between Brazil and Portugal have already sold out and we have very few tickets left for the final," Zhou told METRO.
She claimed many other agencies were selling travel packages to individual travelers but their feedback was not as good as BGGITS's.
The most popular World Cup trips are being sold between 31,500 yuan and 56,000 yuan in Beijing and allow access to only one match. Comparatively, they are much higher than a standard eight-day trip to South Africa, which is priced at 14,000 yuan.
According to FIFA.com, the most expensive seats in the final round cost 6,150 yuan
($ 900) each.
"Soccer fans have called us everyday to ask about our travel packages since we started selling them one week ago, but only two people have actually paid a deposit," said a saleswoman surnamed Cui from the Beijing Youth Travel Service Co Ltd.
High prices have upset many Beijing soccer fans.
"I wanted to go to Germany four years ago but the 40,000-yuan fee stopped me. I have saved more for South Africa this year," said Ma Rui, a 27-year-old art agent in Beijing.
Ma said he has managed to collect enough cash but still considers the cost too high for a single-game trip.
"I will wait another four years and try to go by myself next time," Ma said.
According to the South Africa Embassy in Beijing, Chinese citizens have been eligible to apply for tourist visas from the South Africa government since March 15. It usually takes seven working days to process the applications.
