LINE

    Text:AAAPrint
    Sports

    Chinese fans ready for World Cup festivities(2)

    1
    2018-06-12 08:49:28China Daily Editor : Li Yan ECNS App Download

    Moscow has been the most popular choice-the number of hotel bookings in Moscow soared over 10 times compared with the same period last year. Hotels near soccer stadiums have nearly sold out, and about only 10 percent of hotels in other areas still have empty rooms, according to Ctrip.

    Hotel prices in Moscow, where the final game will be held, have soared as much as 200 percent. In St. Petersburg, host of the semifinal game, the volume of hotel bookings surged more than five times year-on-year. The average price of a hotel per night in those cities is above 1,000 yuan ($156), Ctrip said.

    Moreover, Chinese tourists have already spent big on World Cup trips, laying out amounts from thousands of yuan to nearly a million.

    Average spending reached 50,000 yuan on Ctrip alone, with the top spender so far, who is from Xiamen, Fujian province, having spent about 850,000 yuan on the trip.

    Notably, 57 percent of the fans are female, which appears to show an increase in female soccer fans in China, officials said.

    "I see my friends show off their airline tickets to Russia or World Cup souvenirs basically every day on social media," said Ge Siwen, a dedicated soccer fan who has already spent a lot on jerseys and other soccer paraphernalia.

    "Things have changed. In times past, we didn't have money to spend on the World Cup, and it was too far away. But this time, the World Cup is so close and not that expensive.

    "The World Cup is huge even to those in China who are not familiar with soccer. It's becoming a hot topic in China and if you know nothing about it or you never talk about it, you will be a joke among your friends."

    Ticket sales

    World Cup official hospitality packages that include tickets have been hot commodities in China. They include additional services in seating, catering and transportation.

    Beijing Shankai Sports International Ltd, China's only FIFA-authorized sales agency, has sold about 10,000 ticket packages with different levels of hospitality services since last fall. It reached over 100 million yuan in revenue, tripling the sales of similar packages for the Union of European Football Associations championship in 2016.

    China has become the second biggest buyer of official World Cup hospitality services after Russia, according to Shankai Sports.

    "It appeals greatly to China's affluent fans to enjoy a match in reserved prime seats at each stadium, coupled with special offerings of food and services, which redefines the premier match-watching experience in comfort and style," said Zheng Lai, vice-president of Shankai.

    "With or without their national team, Chinese fans' passion for the tournament and their interest in going to the World Cup to watch their favorite players in the flesh is always strong," he said.

    Shankai provides five levels of packages, ranging from $850 to $24,900, for fans in China.

    "I've already bought a ticket for each of four World Cup group matches, costing about 700 yuan for each game," said Qi Duanhua, a Chinese student studying in Russia.

    "I will go with two or three of my friends. I never thought the World Cup would be this close to me. I bought tickets for the group match between Germany vs Mexico. If I had to pick one, I hope Germany could defend its title."

    Time no problem

    For fans very far from Russia and those who cannot get away from their jobs, the World Cup is a must-watch on TV and the internet.

    Unlike with many championships, Chinese fans don't have to wait until the wee hours to watch the action. While the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil had fans up at odd hours, the Russian edition has blessed Chinese fans with only a five-hour time difference between Moscow and Beijing.

    "Finally, my friends and I don't have to stay up all night to watch the World Cup," said Zhu Zimu, an English teacher and soccer fan. "I still have to work during the World Cup, so I cannot go to Russia. However, unlike before, I'm not worried about watching the live broadcast of the games.

    "The time difference is acceptable, so I can enjoy game after game with my friends. It will also be more convenient if we want to go a bar, and I don't have to worry about being too sleepy at work the next day."

    It's also good news for restaurants around China, which have already planned all sorts of discounts and activities to attract fans to watch live broadcasts while enjoying food and drink.

    The timing is perfect for crawfish restaurant Daxialaile because the soccer championship coincides with the best season for its specialty food.

    "The World Cup from June to July is made for crawfish," said Dai Jinsheng, CEO of Daxialaile. "To meet the demand of World Cup fans, we will provide them with a special environment including themed decoration and large-screen television. Also, a special crawfish and beer combo meal and discount will also be arranged. Other activities and games are also expected."

      

    Related news

    MorePhoto

    Most popular in 24h

    MoreTop news

    MoreVideo

    News
    Politics
    Business
    Society
    Culture
    Military
    Sci-tech
    Entertainment
    Sports
    Odd
    Features
    Biz
    Economy
    Travel
    Travel News
    Travel Types
    Events
    Food
    Hotel
    Bar & Club
    Architecture
    Gallery
    Photo
    CNS Photo
    Video
    Video
    Learning Chinese
    Learn About China
    Social Chinese
    Business Chinese
    Buzz Words
    Bilingual
    Resources
    ECNS Wire
    Special Coverage
    Infographics
    Voices
    LINE
    Back to top Links | About Us | Jobs | Contact Us | Privacy Policy
    Copyright ?1999-2018 Chinanews.com. All rights reserved.
    Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
    主站蜘蛛池模板: 砚山县| 庄河市| 永泰县| 施秉县| 梁山县| 礼泉县| 临颍县| 离岛区| 克什克腾旗| 吉木乃县| 临城县| 内乡县| 宜城市| 海丰县| 北碚区| 华坪县| 屏山县| 巴楚县| 株洲县| 吉水县| 垦利县| 九龙城区| 三原县| 绍兴县| 社会| 陆良县| 安溪县| 洛南县| 德庆县| 南通市| 治多县| 漠河县| 宝兴县| 本溪| 博野县| 台安县| 泰兴市| 兴城市| 肇源县| 永吉县| 汾阳市|