From stadium seats to hotel suites, World Cup fever sweeps Chinese travellers
From private-box tickets in Houston to luxury hotel viewing suites in China, football fans are driving a boom in travel and hospitality
Sarah Li, from eastern Jiangsu province, said her son – a devoted Cristiano Ronaldo fan – had just completed China’s gaokao, the national university entrance examination. To celebrate the milestone, the family will travel to Houston later this month to watch Portugal take on Uzbekistan in a World Cup group-stage match.
Li said she had purchased a private-box ticket for her son costing more than 10,000 yuan (US$1,479).
“It doesn’t come cheap, but our son’s happiness comes first,” she said. “I’m not a football fan myself. While he enjoys the match, I’ll probably spend the time shopping and sightseeing in Houston.”
The family plans to spend three days in Houston and visit other destinations across the United States.
According to Chinese online travel agencies, interest in World Cup-related travel has surged, with the tournament emerging as a major driver of outbound summer tourism.
Between June 11 and July 19, flight bookings from mainland China to New York, which will host the final, rose 27 per cent year on year, according to Beijing-based travel platform Qunar.