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SZ soccer fans spend big for World Cup

Writer: Zhang Yu  | Editor: Lily A  | From:  | Updated: 2018-07-05

While many soccer fans watched the live broadcast of World Cup soccer matches from home, droves of fans have flown to Russia to watch the matches live at the stadiums. Shenzhen tourists spend an average of 45,000 yuan (US$6,790) for their trips to Russia, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported yesterday.

According to a report released by travel agency Ctrip, 100,000 Chinese tourists visited and are expected to visit Russia and watch matches during the World Cup. Shenzhen ranks eighth, making it one of the cities with the largest number of outbound tourists.

Meanwhile, tourists from Guangdong Province spend the most compared with those from other provinces, with a per capita consumption of 20,462 yuan excluding tickets for the matches and other expenses in Russia.

It is found that related tour packages in Shenzhen are priced at over 30,000 yuan and that tourists prefer a trip with tickets for the World Cup matches. In particular, a nine-day tour package that includes a ticket for the final is up to 120,000 yuan, according to the report.

According to Ctrip, the price of a guided tour consisting of tickets for the second runner-up match, the semifinals and the final has already reached 90,000 yuan per person.

A resident identified as Li Duo planned his trip to Russia as early as last November. “If there is any difference between watching a match on the spot and at home, it must be that the former is more exciting,” said Li.

“The competition is very fierce at the stadium. It can’t be described by commentary or be seen through the cameras,” he added. However, there is also one drawback. The stadium is very stuffy and the fans are all sweating while rooting for their teams, said Li.

Compared with watching soccer matches, many visitors are more interested in sightseeing. A Shenzhen tourist identified as Qin Hehan is one of them. According to Qin, he can not only experience the cities’ new changes during the trip, but also understand their history and culture.

It is also found that a nine-day tour package consisting of both watching matches and going sightseeing is the most popular among consumers. In addition to the World Cup in Russia, which is held a relatively short distance from China this year, the visa waiver policy and lower exchange rates have also helped boost the tourism boom in Russia.